What the built-in switch actually does
Open a photo, tap Share, tap Options at the top of the sheet, and turn Location off. The copy you send loses its GPS coordinates. That is the whole feature.
| Field | Removed by iOS | Removed by the browser tool |
|---|---|---|
| GPS latitude, longitude, altitude | Yes | Yes |
| Capture date and time | No | Yes |
| Camera make and model | No | Yes |
| Lens, aperture, shutter, ISO | No | Yes |
| Software and OS version | No | Yes |
| AI provenance and C2PA record | No | Yes |
| IPTC and XMP fields | No | Yes |
For most posts the location is the field that matters, so the switch earns its place. For a file going to a stranger, a marketplace, or a client, the rest of the block still describes your device, your habits, and the exact minute you pressed the shutter.
Remove everything from Safari
- Open the tool Go to the metadata remover in Safari. No sign-in, no install, no app switch.
- Pick the photo Tap the file picker and choose Photo Library. iOS hands the file to the page. It stays on the phone.
- Read, remove, save Check the report, tap Remove metadata, then save the clean copy back to your library. The original photo stays untouched.
The clean file is a new copy. Share that one and keep the original with its data intact, which matters when the capture time is the only record of when something happened.
Two habits that do not work
Screenshotting the photo. It does drop the original fields, and it also drops the resolution, adds your screen's aspect ratio, and writes fresh metadata about your device and the moment you took the screenshot. You trade one leak for a worse picture and a different leak.
Assuming an app already stripped it. Some messaging apps re-encode and lose metadata, some pass files through as-is, and the behaviour changes between sending a photo and sending it as a document or file attachment. Check a file rather than trusting the app. The viewer tells you in seconds.
HEIC, the iPhone default
iPhones save photos as HEIC unless you change the camera format. Many desktop metadata tools ignore HEIC or hand back a broken file. This tool parses HEIC and HEIF directly and writes the clean copy in the same format, so the photo keeps its quality and its file size profile.
When you need a JPEG or PNG instead, convert first and strip second. Conversion writes a new file, and a fresh file usually carries fewer fields but not always none.
iPhone metadata FAQ
Does the iPhone share sheet remove all metadata?
No. The Options panel has a Location switch. Turning it off drops the GPS coordinates from the copy you send. Camera make and model, lens, exposure settings, capture time, software version, and any AI or C2PA record still travel with the file.
How do I remove EXIF data without installing an app?
Open the browser metadata remover in Safari, choose the photo from your library, and select Remove metadata. The work runs on the phone inside the browser tab.
Does taking a screenshot remove photo metadata?
A screenshot drops the original photo's GPS, camera, and provenance fields, because it is a new file. It still records your device and the moment you took the screenshot, and it costs you image quality and the original framing.
Does the tool work with HEIC files?
Yes. HEIC and HEIF work alongside JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, and AVIF, up to 25 MB per file. iPhones save HEIC by default, so this matters.
Do my photos leave the phone?
No. The scan and the removal run in a Web Worker in Safari on your device. No upload, no processing API, no account. Closing the tab ends the session.
Can I do several photos at once?
The tool handles one file at a time so the report stays tied to a specific image. For a batch, repeat the three steps. Each pass is a few seconds on a modern phone.