How to Remove Metadata from Photos on Mac
Guide to stripping EXIF data and GPS coordinates from photos on macOS using Preview, Photos app, and ExifVoid.
macOS offers several ways to view photo metadata, but removing it completely requires knowing which tools to use and their limitations.
Viewing metadata on Mac
The simplest way to view a photo's metadata on Mac is through Preview. Open the image in Preview, then go to Tools and select Show Inspector (or press Command-I). The Exif tab shows camera settings, dates, and GPS information. This is useful for checking what data exists, but Preview cannot remove metadata.
The Photos app also shows location information. Open a photo, click the info button (i), and you'll see where it was taken on a map. You can remove location from individual photos by clicking the location and selecting Remove Location. However, this only removes GPS data — it leaves all other metadata intact.
The macOS limitation
Unlike Windows, macOS doesn't have a built-in "remove all properties" feature for image files. The Photos app can remove location but nothing else. Preview can view metadata but can't edit or remove it. This means Mac users who want thorough metadata removal need a third-party solution.
Using ExifVoid on Mac
Open Safari, Chrome, or any browser on your Mac and go to exifvoid.com. Drop in your photo — or click to browse from Finder. The Privacy Scan immediately shows everything embedded in the file, with GPS coordinates displayed on a map and all metadata fields categorised by risk level.
Click clean to strip all metadata. The cleaned file downloads with "_clean" appended to the filename, so you can easily distinguish it from the original. For JPEG files, the process uses binary excision — no re-compression, no quality loss.
What about the Terminal?
Mac includes Python by default, and command-line tools like ExifTool can be installed via Homebrew. Running something like "exiftool -all= photo.jpg" removes all metadata from the command line. This is effective but requires Homebrew installation, comfort with Terminal commands, and care to avoid accidentally modifying original files. For most Mac users, the browser-based approach is simpler and equally thorough.
AirDrop and metadata
One important note for Mac users: AirDrop transfers the original file with all metadata intact. If you AirDrop a photo to someone, they receive all the embedded GPS data, camera serial numbers, and timestamps. Always clean photos before sharing via AirDrop if privacy matters.
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