How to Remove the Location from a Photo
Most phone cameras write the GPS position into the photo file as hidden EXIF data. Anyone who gets the original file can read it with a free viewer and see where the picture was taken, often to within a few meters.
Steps
- Check what the photo contains. Open the photo metadata tool and drop in the picture. It lists what it found, such as GPS position, camera model, date and time, and software.
- Choose what to remove. Tick the GPS location and anything else you want gone. You can keep other details, such as the date, if you prefer.
- Download the clean copy. The tool saves a new file. Your original stays as it was, so keep it somewhere private or delete it.
- Check the result. Drop the new file into the tool again. It should list no GPS data.
Good to know
Many social networks and some messaging apps remove location data when you upload a picture, but not all do, and sending a photo as a file or "original" often keeps it. Remove it yourself before you share a photo directly.
You can also stop the problem at the source: in your phone camera settings, turn off location tagging for photos.
Removing metadata does not change the picture itself. A street sign, a landmark or a view from your window can still show where you were.