Use the location control in Photos
Apple documents this location-specific action in its Personal Safety guide. It is not a general metadata-removal command.
Keep an original copy
Preserve the original before changing library information or producing a sharing copy.
Select the photo in Photos
Open Photos on your Mac and select the photo you want to change.
Hide its location
Choose Image, then Location, then Hide Location. Check the separately exported file before sharing it.
A library view and a file export are different things. Keep track of which file you export, and inspect that file. Avoid sending an unmodified original when your goal is to share a cleaned copy.
Inspect, clean, then check
Clean a separate image file in your browser
For an image already stored as a file on your Mac, select it directly in the browser tool. If it is in Photos, export a working copy first and review the format and information that export contains.
Keep the original and select a file
Keep your original photo. Open EXIF Cleanup in your browser, select Choose a photo, and pick the image file you want to inspect. Make sure it is available on your device.
Review what is detected
Look at the detected location, capture time, camera, software, and embedded thumbnail when available. The viewer does not display every possible metadata field.
Clean a separate copy
Select Clean metadata and wait for processing to finish. Select Download clean copy and save the result. The selected original is not overwritten.
Check the saved result
Open the downloaded file, compare its colors and orientation with the original, and inspect its metadata again. Use an independent local reader if a more thorough check matters. Review the filename and visible image, then share the checked copy.
Know the limits before you share
- Local processing: EXIF Cleanup does not upload the selected image. Ordinary site request information may still reach the hosting provider.
- Output changes: JPEG, PNG, and WebP image payloads are not re-encoded. Supported HEIC/HEIF and supported single-page TIFF become PNG; HEIC support depends on your browser. Color profiles are removed, which can change appearance.
- Format limits: animated PNG/WebP, multi-page/tiled/compressed TIFF or unsupported TIFF sample layouts, malformed files, and some HEIC orientation cases are rejected. The 200 MiB cap does not mean every device can handle that size.
- Not a complete audit: minimal orientation data can remain. The cleaner does not hide visible people or places, erase existing shared copies, or guarantee anonymity or AI undetectability.
This preview has not completed real-device browser acceptance. File pickers, download locations, and supported formats can vary by browser and operating system. If processing fails, keep your original and do not treat the failed attempt as a cleaned file.
Frequently asked questions
Can Preview show whether a photo has GPS information?
Apple documents opening a photo in Preview and choosing Tools, then Show Location Info. That is a viewing feature, not a complete metadata-removal workflow.
Does Hide Location remove all photo metadata?
No. It is a location-specific Photos control. Check other information in the exported file separately.
Should I share Export Unmodified Original as a clean file?
Do not treat an unmodified original as a cleaned copy. Apple’s export guide describes this option as exporting in the original format, not as removing all metadata. Inspect the actual file before sharing.
Can I keep the color profile with this browser cleaner?
This preview removes color profiles. JPEG, PNG, and WebP image payloads are not re-encoded, but color-managed appearance may change. Keep your original and compare the result.
Official references
- Apple: Personal Safety User Guide, location metadata in Photos
- Apple: See where a photo was taken using Preview on Mac
- Apple: Photos export options, archived Photos guide
These references describe the named platform features. They do not verify this preview on your device.