Free Image Metadata Viewer Online: View and Edit EXIF Data

Every photo your phone or camera takes carries hidden data alongside the picture itself. This metadata, called EXIF, can include the date and time, camera and lens model, exposure settings, and — importantly — the exact GPS coordinates where the photo was taken. Most people never see it, but it travels with the file. This guide explains what is in there, why it matters for privacy, and when to keep or remove it.

What is EXIF metadata?

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a block of information embedded in JPG and many other image files. Typical fields include:

• Date and time the photo was captured.
• Camera and lens make and model, and sometimes a serial number.
• Exposure settings — aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length.
• GPS coordinates — the precise location, if location services were on.
• Orientation, which tells apps how to display the photo.

Why metadata matters for privacy

The GPS field is the one to watch. A holiday photo posted publicly can reveal where you were; a photo taken at home can reveal your address. Camera serial numbers and timestamps can also link separate photos to the same device or person. Many large social platforms strip EXIF on upload, but plenty of forums, marketplaces, file-sharing links, and direct sends do not — so the data can leak without you realising.

How to view your image metadata

Open the View Image Info tool, add a photo, and it shows the dimensions, format, file size, and the embedded EXIF fields it can read — including GPS if present. This runs in your browser, so the photo is read on your device and is not uploaded to a server, which matters when you are inspecting personal pictures.

When to keep metadata, and when to remove it

Keep it when the data is useful: photographers rely on exposure settings to learn from their shots, and archives benefit from accurate dates. Remove it before publishing publicly, posting to forums, listing items for sale with photos taken at home, or sharing images of or with vulnerable people — anywhere the location or device details should not travel with the picture. When in doubt before a public post, strip it.

How to remove metadata

Most image tools drop EXIF when they re-encode a file. If you compress a photo with Compress Image or convert it with the image converter, the re-saved copy generally no longer carries the original EXIF, including GPS. View the metadata first to confirm what is there, then re-encode to produce a clean copy for sharing — and keep your original if you want the data preserved.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming every platform strips EXIF — many do not; check before relying on it.
• Sharing the original instead of a cleaned copy — re-encode for public use and keep the original privately.
• Forgetting GPS on home photos — marketplace and rehoming photos often reveal an address.

For more, see all image tools.