What is EXIF data?

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a block of hidden information that cameras and phones write into a photo file. It travels with the picture unless something removes it.

Updated 2026-10-20 · Written by the Untrace team

What does EXIF data contain?

• Location: GPS latitude, longitude, altitude and direction.
• Device: camera or phone make and model, lens, and sometimes a serial number.
• Time: when the photo was taken and when it was edited.
• Settings: exposure, aperture, ISO, focal length and flash.
• Software: the app or editor that last saved the file.
• A thumbnail: a small embedded preview, which can differ from the visible image if the photo was cropped.

Related blocks sit alongside EXIF: XMP and IPTC hold captions, creator names and copyright, and C2PA content credentials can hold a signed edit history (see What is C2PA?).

Why does it matter for privacy?

A photo of your front door shared with its GPS data tells the recipient where you live. A date and device model can link photos to one person. Journalists, sellers on marketplaces and anyone posting from home have good reason to check before sharing.

How can you view EXIF data?

On most computers, right-click the file and open its properties or info panel. The quickest complete view is to add the file to Untrace, which lists every metadata block, including ones the operating system does not show.

How do you remove it?

Editing tags one at a time risks missing a block. Untrace instead decodes the image to pixels and writes a fresh file, which leaves every metadata container behind, then re-reads the output to confirm nothing survived. For the location case specifically, see how to remove GPS from a photo.

Common questions

Is EXIF data bad?

No. It is useful for organising your own photos. It becomes a privacy problem only when you share the file with people who do not need it.

Do screenshots have EXIF data?

They usually carry far less, often no location, but they can still include device and time information.