What is C2PA metadata?
C2PA is the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity. Its open standard describes signed records, called manifests, that associate statements about a file’s history with the file. Content Credentials is the term used for this provenance system.
Possible parts of a record
- Origin and edits
- Statements about capture, source material, software actions, or use of AI.
- A digital signature
- Information a compatible validator can use to check the signed record and signer.
- A link to the content
- A mechanism for checking which content the provenance record refers to.
These records differ from ordinary EXIF camera and capture fields. A photo can have EXIF, Content Credentials, both, or neither. A credential can describe camera-made or edited content as well as AI-generated content.
What happens if metadata is removed?
A cleaner can remove an embedded manifest when it removes the part of the file containing it. Altering signed material can also cause validation to fail. Neither result proves that every provenance signal is gone.
The C2PA standard also supports external records and mechanisms called soft bindings, such as supported fingerprints or invisible watermarks, that can help rediscover a record. Removing an embedded record is different from removing those signals.
EXIF Cleanup removes supported metadata from supported image formats. It does not validate C2PA signatures, look up external manifests, or remove watermarks. Its result is not a certificate that all provenance has been erased. It makes no promise about AI labels or detection on another service.
Make an informed copy
Preserve the original and its history
- Keep the original file. Provenance can help establish attribution and document edits.
- Decide which details you need to remove. General cleaning can discard useful records along with private information.
- Use a compatible C2PA validator if checking the record or its signer matters. This site’s metadata viewer is not that validator.
- Review the cleaned copy, its filename, and the visible image before sharing. Removing metadata does not replace any disclosure or attribution requirements that apply to your use.
The current tool processes the selected image in your browser without uploading it. JPEG, PNG, and WebP image payloads are not re-encoded; Supported HEIC and TIFF become PNG; HEIC support depends on the browser. Color profiles are removed, so appearance can change. Your original is left unchanged.
Inspect ordinary photo metadataFrequently asked questions
What does C2PA stand for?
C2PA stands for the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity. It develops an open standard for recording and checking digital content provenance.
Do Content Credentials mean an image is AI-generated?
No. Credentials can describe camera capture, editing, or AI use. What a credential says, and whether it validates, matters more than its mere presence.
Does a valid credential prove that a picture is true?
No. Validation checks the signed provenance and its association with the content. It does not prove that the depicted scene or a caption is factually true.
Can Content Credentials survive metadata removal?
An embedded record can be removed, while an external record may still exist. Supported watermark or fingerprint mechanisms can sometimes reconnect content with provenance. Removing metadata is not a guarantee that provenance becomes undiscoverable.
Does EXIF Cleanup validate C2PA signatures?
No. The current viewer displays selected photo metadata, not C2PA signature or trust-validation results. It cannot certify that a file has no Content Credentials.
Will cleaning metadata stop an AI label on a platform?
There is no such guarantee. Platforms may use other signals and policies. This tool does not test or change a platform’s classification and is not an AI detector or watermark remover.
Read the standard
These are references, not file-inspection services. No image is sent to them by this page.