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How to remove all EXIF metadata from photos on a Mac
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
To remove EXIF metadata on a Mac, select your photos in Finder and run Privacy › Remove all metadata in FileDial. It saves a copy with no metadata and the pixels untouched. For just the GPS data use Privacy › Remove location, and for camera details use Privacy › Remove camera info.
What a photo can reveal
Exif is the metadata standard embedded in most photos. Wikipedia says it records camera make and model, per-image settings such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO, the date and time, orientation, a preview thumbnail and, if the device recorded them, GPS coordinates. A phone photo may therefore say where and when it was taken and on which device.
Wikipedia also notes that GPS-enabled devices often record location by default without the owner realising, and that embedded thumbnails have in the past exposed the uncropped original of an image that was later cropped. That is why stripping metadata matters before you post a picture of your home, your child or an item you are selling.
Pick the right level of cleaning
Not every job needs everything removed. The date taken is often useful to keep, for example when you send photos to an insurer or an agency. FileDial gives you separate tools so you can remove only what you need.
- Privacy › Remove location: copy without GPS, pixels untouched.
- Privacy › Remove camera info: copy without camera details, pixels untouched.
- Privacy › Remove all metadata: copy without metadata, pixels untouched.
- Privacy › Edit metadata…: change specific fields; empty fields are left as they are.
Steps
The tool saves a new copy beside the original, so you keep the full-metadata version for your own library and share the clean one. That separation is the useful habit: never strip the only copy.
- Select the photos in Finder, or a folder of them.
- Hold the right Option key to open the dial, or right-click and choose Open in FileDial.
- Choose Privacy, then release on Privacy › Remove all metadata.
- Check the result card, then share the new copies, not the originals.
Checking that it worked
Open the cleaned file in Preview and choose Tools > Show Inspector, then look at the information panels. A cleaned image should have no GPS section. Compare with the original to see the difference. If you want a second opinion, drop the file on a different Exif viewer you trust.
Remember that metadata is not the only way a photo gives things away. Street signs, number plates, faces and reflections are pixels. For those, see the blur faces article and Markup › Blur text & license plates in FileDial.
A pre-sharing checklist
Stripping metadata is one item on a longer list. Before you share a photo publicly, look at the picture itself. Is there a house number, a street sign, a school logo, a screen with an email address, a car number plate or a reflection in a window? Metadata tools do not touch any of that.
Then think about file names. A name such as the date taken, plus an address, can say more than you meant, so rename if needed with Rename › Rename with pattern… or Rename › Replace text in names… Finally, consider the destination. Some services strip metadata on upload and some do not, so cleaning in advance is safer than trusting a platform.
Keep two folders: originals with full metadata for yourself, and a clean set for sharing. This habit prevents the common mistake of cleaning the only copy and then wanting the date or location back.
- Check the pixels, not just the metadata.
- Rename files that reveal too much.
- Keep originals and shareable copies separate.
When each tool fits
Use Privacy › Remove location when you only worry about where a photo was taken and want the date and camera details to remain. Use Privacy › Remove camera info when the gear itself is the concern. Use Privacy › Remove all metadata for anything that goes on a public page or to strangers. If you need to correct rather than delete, Privacy › Edit metadata… changes chosen fields and leaves empty fields as they are.
Photos on macOS also has an option to include or leave out location when you export, but the exact checkbox and wording vary by version, so confirm in the Export dialog before relying on it. The mistake to avoid is trusting a single pass without checking: open one result in Preview's inspector and confirm the metadata is gone before sharing a whole batch.
Why do this on the Mac
Web metadata removers need you to upload the exact file you are trying to protect. FileDial runs locally, never uploads files, and works with Wi-Fi off. Note that some services strip metadata on upload and others, such as GitHub per Wikipedia, preserve location tags, so do not rely on the destination.
Questions
Does removing metadata change the picture?
No. FileDial describes Remove all metadata as a copy without metadata and pixels untouched. The image looks the same. It does not blur or alter faces, signs or other visible content, which are part of the pixels. Remove all metadata also drops the date taken, so rename or sort files by date before cleaning copies you want kept organised.
Should I remove all metadata or just location?
If you only worry about where the photo was taken, Privacy › Remove location is enough and keeps the date. If you also do not want the camera model or settings shared, use Remove all metadata. When unsure, strip everything for public posting.
Will Photos or social sites remove it for me?
Some services strip metadata on upload and some do not, and behaviour changes. Wikipedia notes GitHub preserves location tags. Do not rely on the destination. Remove it yourself before sharing, and keep the original with full data for your own library.
Can I remove EXIF from many photos at once?
Yes. Select all the photos and run Privacy › Remove all metadata once. FileDial works in batches and saves each cleaned copy beside its original, with Undo available on the result. Because originals are never overwritten, you can clean a holiday folder in one pass and keep the full-metadata copies for yourself.