Compress, resize, convert, redact, and re-encode a photo without uploading it.
OpenGuide
Remove photo metadata before you share a picture
A photo can carry more than the picture. The camera or phone model, the time it was taken, and sometimes the exact place are stored next to the image. This guide explains what that data is, how the image tool removes it, and what re-encoding cannot do.
What a photo file carries
Cameras and phones may write EXIF data into a picture. Common fields include the device make and model, the capture time, the orientation, and, when location was enabled, GPS coordinates with more precision than most people expect.
Chat apps and social platforms may strip or rewrite this data when you upload, but that is a choice each service makes. Your original file may still hold it.
How the image tool removes it
The image tool reads the file in your browser, draws it onto a canvas, and encodes a new image from those pixels. The new file is built from scratch, so the EXIF block, the GPS tags, and the embedded thumbnail from the original are not copied into it.
The same step does the resize, the compression, and the format conversion. Choose JPEG, PNG, or WebP for the output depending on what the place you are posting to accepts.
Steps
- Open the image tools page and choose a JPEG, PNG, or WebP file, or drop one onto the page.
- Set a width or a height for a smaller copy, or leave both blank to keep the original size.
- Pick the output format and the quality.
- Run the process and download the new file.
- Open the downloaded file and check that it looks right before you share it.
Cover what should not be visible
Re-encoding removes hidden data. It does not remove anything a viewer can see: a face, a number plate, a document on a desk, a badge, or a reflection in a window.
The same page has a redaction surface. Click on the preview to cover a region, then process the image again. The covered area is painted into the pixels of the new file.
Check the file before you publish it
Open the finished file and look at it at full size. If a detail should not be public, cover it and process the file again. Your original stays untouched on your device, so you can always start over.
Limits to keep in mind
- Re-encoding removes file metadata. It cannot remove anything visible in the picture.
- The tool accepts JPEG, PNG, and WebP files up to 20 MB and 40 megapixels.
- Your original file is never changed. Download and share the new copy instead.
- A site you upload to can keep, strip, or add metadata of its own, so check the file that is actually published.
Questions
Does resizing remove the metadata?
The tool always writes a new file from the page pixels, so metadata is not carried over whether or not you resize. Resizing is optional.
Which file types can I use?
JPEG, PNG, and WebP images up to 20 MB and 40 megapixels. The output can be any of those three formats.
Will this blur a face or a number plate?
No. Use the redaction surface on the same page to cover the area, then process the file again.
Is the photo uploaded?
No. The image is read and re-encoded in your browser. Bytes leave your device only if you choose to create a private share link.