A phone photo is more than the picture. The file often carries hidden data such as when it was taken, the device model and where it was taken. Send a photo taken at home to a stranger, and anyone who opens the file details may see where it was taken.
What a photo can store
Apple's iPhone guide says that sharing a photo or video also shares related metadata, such as the date and time, location, device and captions.
Most of this sits in a part of the file called EXIF. According to ExifTool's documentation, GPS data is stored in its own section within the EXIF information: latitude and longitude in degrees, minutes and seconds with N/S and E/W, and possibly altitude and the time of the GPS fix.
| Data | What it reveals |
|---|---|
| GPS coordinates | Where the photo was taken, possibly down to the house |
| Date and time | When you were there |
| Camera or phone model | The device used; some cameras add a serial number |
| Software | The app used to edit or save the photo |
Check and remove before sending
- Open Remove GPS Location & EXIF from Photos and choose your photos.
- See whether each photo carries GPS location, a camera model or a date taken.
- Remove the metadata and send the newly downloaded photos instead of the originals.
The tool runs in your browser and sends your photos nowhere. For JPG, PNG and WebP it cuts out only the metadata, so the picture is not recompressed. We keep the orientation value so portrait photos don't turn sideways, and the colour profile so colours don't shift; neither says where you were or who you are.
Stop saving location when you shoot
Google Photos Help gives these steps:
- Google phones: open the camera settings and turn off Save location.
- Samsung: open the camera settings and turn off Location tags.
- iPhone: go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Camera and choose Never.
Photos you already took keep their location, so clean those before sharing. Google also notes that photos without location may not show in the map view, in location searches or in Memories from your trips. Our suggestion: keep location on if you use those features, and remove it only from photos you share.
Metadata isn't the only clue
Google warns that even without location data, people may guess where a photo was taken from landmarks in it, such as signs, buildings or the view from a window. Look at the picture before posting; if it shows a house number, a licence plate or a street name, cover it with Blur Image first.
