The following commands will remove Exif metadata from any compatible file.
# replace my_image.jpg with path to file
# Remove all Exif metadata exiftool -all= my_image.jpg
# Remove only geographical coordinates exiftool -geotag= -gps:all= my_image.jpg
You can specify a directory name in exiftool to process multiple images with a single command.
# replace my_directory with path to dir exiftool -all= my_directory
# adding the -r option makes it recursive into subdirectories exiftool -all= -r my_directory
# Additionally, if you only want to process jpeg and png images, you can specify the extensions exiftool -all= -ext jpg -ext jpeg -ext png my_directory
Exif Metadata Example
Let’s look at a concrete example.
Given a typical image captured by a modern cellphone, the following metadata tags can be found:
exiftool IMG_20190508_200933_1.jpg
ExifTool Version Number : 11.16 File Name : IMG_20190508_200933_1.jpg Directory : . File Size : 3.0 MB File Modification Date/Time : 2020:05:07 09:00:57-06:00 File Access Date/Time : 2020:05:07 09:00:57-06:00 File Inode Change Date/Time : 2020:05:07 09:01:15-06:00 File Permissions : rw-r--r-- File Type : JPEG File Type Extension : jpg MIME Type : image/jpeg Exif Byte Order : Little-endian (Intel, II) Exposure Time : 1/559 F Number : 1.8 Exposure Program : Program AE ISO : 59 Exif Version : 0220 Date/Time Original : 2019:05:08 20:09:33 Create Date : 2019:05:08 20:09:33 Components Configuration : Y, Cb, Cr, - Shutter Speed Value : 1/560 Aperture Value : 1.8 Brightness Value : 6.58 Exposure Compensation : 0 Max Aperture Value : 1.8 Subject Distance : 2.289 m Metering Mode : Center-weighted average Flash : Off, Did not fire Focal Length : 4.4 mm Warning : [minor] Unrecognized MakerNotes Sub Sec Time : 683675 Sub Sec Time Original : 683675 Sub Sec Time Digitized : 683675 Flashpix Version : 0100 Color Space : sRGB Exif Image Width : 4032 Exif Image Height : 3024 Interoperability Index : R98 - DCF basic file (sRGB) Interoperability Version : 0100 Sensing Method : One-chip color area Scene Type : Directly photographed Custom Rendered : Custom Exposure Mode : Auto White Balance : Auto Digital Zoom Ratio : 0 Focal Length In 35mm Format : 27 mm Scene Capture Type : Standard Contrast : Normal Saturation : Normal Sharpness : Normal Subject Distance Range : Close GPS Version ID : 2.2.0.0 GPS Latitude Ref : North GPS Longitude Ref : West GPS Altitude Ref : Below Sea Level GPS Time Stamp : 19:09:21 GPS Dilution Of Precision : 27.668 GPS Processing Method : fused GPS Date Stamp : 2019:05:08 Make : Google Camera Model Name : Pixel 3 Orientation : Horizontal (normal) X Resolution : 72 Y Resolution : 72 Resolution Unit : inches Software : HDR+ 1.0.239730035zry Modify Date : 2019:05:08 20:09:33 Y Cb Cr Positioning : Centered Compression : JPEG (old-style) Thumbnail Offset : 22240 Thumbnail Length : 5940 JFIF Version : 1.01 Profile CMM Type : Profile Version : 4.0.0 Profile Class : Display Device Profile Color Space Data : RGB Profile Connection Space : XYZ Profile Date Time : 2016:12:08 09:38:28 Profile File Signature : acsp Primary Platform : Unknown () CMM Flags : Not Embedded, Independent Device Manufacturer : Google Device Model : Device Attributes : Reflective, Glossy, Positive, Color Rendering Intent : Perceptual Connection Space Illuminant : 0.9642 1 0.82491 Profile Creator : Google Profile ID : 75e1a6b13c34376310c8ab660632a28a Profile Description : sRGB IEC61966-2.1 Profile Copyright : Copyright (c) 2016 Google Inc. Media White Point : 0.95045 1 1.08905 Media Black Point : 0 0 0 Red Matrix Column : 0.43604 0.22249 0.01392 Green Matrix Column : 0.38512 0.7169 0.09706 Blue Matrix Column : 0.14305 0.06061 0.71391 Red Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 32 bytes, use -b option to extract) Chromatic Adaptation : 1.04788 0.02292 -0.05019 0.02959 0.99048 -0.01704 -0.00922 0.01508 0.75168 Blue Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 32 bytes, use -b option to extract) Green Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 32 bytes, use -b option to extract) Image Width : 4032 Image Height : 3024 Encoding Process : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding Bits Per Sample : 8 Color Components : 3 Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2) Aperture : 1.8 GPS Altitude : 0 m Above Sea Level GPS Date/Time : 2019:05:08 19:09:21Z GPS Latitude : 41 deg 8' 53.90" N GPS Longitude : 8 deg 38' 20.10" W GPS Position : 41 deg 8' 53.90" N, 8 deg 38' 20.10" W Image Size : 4032x3024 Megapixels : 12.2 Scale Factor To 35 mm Equivalent: 6.1 Shutter Speed : 1/559 Create Date : 2019:05:08 20:09:33.683675 Date/Time Original : 2019:05:08 20:09:33.683675 Modify Date : 2019:05:08 20:09:33.683675 Thumbnail Image : (Binary data 5940 bytes, use -b option to extract) Circle Of Confusion : 0.005 mm Depth Of Field : inf (1.13 m - inf) Field Of View : 67.4 deg Focal Length : 4.4 mm (35 mm equivalent: 27.0 mm) Hyperfocal Distance : 2.22 m Light Value : 11.6
It can be a good idea to remove some of these Exif tags from the image. The photo’s location is revealed through the GPS * tags, the photo creation time through Create Date, and details regarding the Make and Camera Model Name of my cellphone.
By removing the exif tags from the image before uploading to social media, you reduce the amount of information that you reveal about yourself. May this be useful in the ongoing process of maintaining privacy and control over one’s data.