Guide
How to remove location and EXIF data from photos on Mac
MarkdownThe built-in way: Preview
- Open the photo in Preview.
- Choose Tools > Show Inspector and open the information tabs to see the EXIF and GPS details.
- If the GPS tab is shown, click Remove Location Info.
- Save the file.
Preview is good for checking one photo. It does not clear every kind of metadata in a batch.
The Toolbox way: Remove Metadata
Photos often carry the GPS location where they were taken, plus the camera model and date. Remove Metadata strips EXIF, IPTC and XMP data from a batch of photos so you can share them without that information. It runs on your Mac and saves clean copies.
- Open Remove Metadata and drop your photos.
- Leave Keep orientation on so photos stay the right way up.
- Click Remove Metadata. Clean copies go to a dated folder in Downloads.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Toolbox never changes originals. Share the stripped copies, not the originals.
- With Keep orientation on, only the rotation tag is kept so the photo displays correctly.
- If you are converting photos anyway, Convert Images lets you turn off Keep metadata.
- To hide faces too, use Blur Faces.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove location from a photo on Mac?
Drop the photo into Remove Metadata and click Remove Metadata. The copy has no GPS location, camera details or dates.
What exactly gets removed?
GPS location, camera details, dates and other EXIF, IPTC and XMP data. With Keep orientation on, only the rotation tag is kept.
Do the original photos still have their metadata?
Yes. Toolbox never changes originals, so only the new copies are stripped.
Can I check what metadata a photo has first?
Yes. In Preview, choose Tools > Show Inspector.
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