Three standards, overlapping information
These are not three mutually exclusive sets. An image can contain all three, and the same concept can be represented in more than one place.
| Type | Typical role | Common information |
|---|---|---|
| EXIF | Capture and image interpretation | Camera, lens, exposure, capture time, orientation, GPS |
| IPTC Photo Metadata | Description, publishing, and rights | Creator, caption, keywords, copyright, depicted people and places |
| XMP | An extensible metadata model and serialization | Properties from many namespaces, including EXIF and IPTC, plus application-specific information |
Sources: CIPA: Exif standards; ExifTool: EXIF tag reference; IPTC: Photo Metadata Standard 2025.1; Adobe: XMP specifications
XMP can carry other metadata vocabularies
XMP provides a model and serialization for metadata. Applications can embed an XMP packet in a supported file or store metadata in a separate sidecar. EXIF- and IPTC-related properties can appear within XMP namespaces.
That overlap is why removing one named block is not enough to prove a photo has no location, author, or capture-time information left.
Sources: Adobe: XMP specifications
Other information can travel with a photo
| Type | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| MakerNotes | Manufacturer-specific camera information; coverage varies by device |
| Embedded thumbnails | A smaller preview can remain separate from the main image |
| Comments and application blocks | Text or editor-specific information outside common EXIF fields |
| ICC color profiles | Describe how to interpret color; removing or converting them may change appearance |
| Sidecar files | Separate metadata files, often with an .xmp extension |
| File-system properties | Filename, folder location, and local file dates exist outside embedded photo tags |
Sources: ExifTool: EXIF tag reference; Adobe: XMP specifications
What this tool removes
Supported photos are decoded, oriented, and written as new PNGs without source metadata blocks. That removes the source EXIF, XMP, IPTC, thumbnails, comments, and profiles from the exported image. The PNG still needs its image header and pixel data.
Use the reference directory to look up field names. Vendor-specific MakerNotes and all possible XMP namespaces are larger than any short universal checklist.
Make a clean copy
Remove source metadata from supported photos and videos in your browser.
Choose filesRelated guides
By EXIF Remover. Reviewed . Device menus and export behavior can change with software updates.