Does iOS 17 strip EXIF when I share a photo?

No. Sharing via AirDrop, Messages, Mail or "Save to Files" preserves the full EXIF block, including GPS. There is an iOS option to "Include Location" in the share sheet, but it controls only the location field — not the camera model, lens, thumbnail or timestamps.

Will ExifSweep work on my iPhone without an app install?

Yes. ExifSweep runs in Safari (or any modern mobile browser). There is no App Store install, no permission popup, no account. You open the page, drop the photo and download the cleaned file.

Can ExifSweep handle Live Photos and bursts?

It strips metadata from each frame you upload, but Live Photos and bursts are pairs (or sequences) of separate files. Upload the still you want to share — that is the file Instagram or Messages will see.

What about HEIC versus JPEG — which is safer?

Both leak. JPEG leaks slightly less because it lacks Apple's richer Maker Note, but it still carries GPS, model, lens, software and a thumbnail. The format does not save you — stripping does.

Does Apple's "Options → Include Location" toggle remove EXIF?

Only the GPS field. Model, lens, timestamp, software and thumbnail remain. Treat the toggle as a partial fix, not a complete strip.

Is there a free tier I can use right now?

Yes. The free tier covers 3 cleanups per day (at most 1 of which may be a video) with 1 file per batch — enough for everyday sharing. Pro and Plus add larger batches, no video sub-limit, and server-side fallback for very large files.

How-to

Remove EXIF from iPhone photos

iPhones embed GPS coordinates, device model, lens identifier, capture time and a thumbnail into every HEIC and JPEG. Open ExifSweep in Safari, drop the photo, review what is inside, download the cleaned file. The original never leaves your phone.

Why iPhone photos leak more than most

Apple ships its camera app with location services enabled by default. From the very first photo your iPhone writes GPS coordinates accurate to a few metres, along with the camera model, lens identifier and software version.

On top of EXIF, iPhones write a Maker Note — a proprietary block that includes burst identifiers, focus stack data and a small thumbnail. Most desktop tools miss the Maker Note, so the device fingerprint survives a "save without metadata" export.

And the Photos app does not strip these fields when you share via AirDrop, Messages or email. Recipients see everything.

What iPhone photos actually contain

A typical iPhone 15 HEIC carries: GPS latitude, longitude, altitude and direction; capture timestamp down to the millisecond; the exact phone model (iPhone 15 Pro Max); the lens used (24mm f/1.78); software version (iOS 17.x); a 160×120 thumbnail; and a Maker Note with burst and Live Photo identifiers.

Re-exporting through Photos as JPEG keeps almost all of it. The thumbnail is regenerated but the GPS and device fields stay.

If iCloud Photos is on, the same metadata syncs to every device on your Apple ID. Anyone you screen-share with may see your locations in the "Places" album.

Step-by-step: strip EXIF in your browser

On the iPhone: open Safari, go to exifsweep.com/app, tap the upload area and choose Photo Library. Pick the photo. The browser unpacks the HEIC or JPEG locally — nothing is uploaded.

ExifSweep shows every EXIF, XMP and IPTC field it found. Verify the GPS coordinates, model and timestamp are listed. Tap Clean.

Tap Download. iOS will offer Save to Files or Save to Photos. The cleaned copy carries no GPS, no model, no thumbnail. Pixel quality is identical to the original.

HEIC vs JPEG: the format that doubles the leak

HEIC is Apple's default since iOS 11. It compresses smaller than JPEG and supports HDR — but it also carries Apple's richer Maker Note, which leaks more than a JPEG would.

If you must keep HEIC for size, strip metadata before sharing. If you can switch to JPEG (Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible), the leaked surface is smaller but still not zero.

Either way, do not rely on the recipient's platform to strip the file. Strip it yourself before it leaves the phone.

Strip an iPhone photo now →

Frequently asked questions

Does iOS 17 strip EXIF when I share a photo?: No. Sharing via AirDrop, Messages, Mail or "Save to Files" preserves the full EXIF block, including GPS. There is an iOS option to "Include Location" in the share sheet, but it controls only the location field — not the camera model, lens, thumbnail or timestamps.
Will ExifSweep work on my iPhone without an app install?: Yes. ExifSweep runs in Safari (or any modern mobile browser). There is no App Store install, no permission popup, no account. You open the page, drop the photo and download the cleaned file.
Can ExifSweep handle Live Photos and bursts?: It strips metadata from each frame you upload, but Live Photos and bursts are pairs (or sequences) of separate files. Upload the still you want to share — that is the file Instagram or Messages will see.
What about HEIC versus JPEG — which is safer?: Both leak. JPEG leaks slightly less because it lacks Apple's richer Maker Note, but it still carries GPS, model, lens, software and a thumbnail. The format does not save you — stripping does.
Does Apple's "Options → Include Location" toggle remove EXIF?: Only the GPS field. Model, lens, timestamp, software and thumbnail remain. Treat the toggle as a partial fix, not a complete strip.
Is there a free tier I can use right now?: Yes. The free tier covers 3 cleanups per day (at most 1 of which may be a video) with 1 file per batch — enough for everyday sharing. Pro and Plus add larger batches, no video sub-limit, and server-side fallback for very large files.