In order not to reveal certain information related to your private life, erase the personal data contained in the metadata of your photos before sharing them.
All the photos you take, whether with a dedicated camera or a smartphone, have EXIF built-in. This metadata is used to record a sort of hidden technical sheet attached to your photos. They provide access to a certain amount of information which may be useful for photographers.
This generally contains the make and model of the camera used to capture the image, but also the date and time of the shooting, or even technical information concerning the settings used for shooting (exposure , focal length, etc.).
If so far this data may seem trivial, other data, more personal, can be problematic. Because EXIF data can also integrate geographic information when a GPS module is integrated into the device. This is for example the case with smartphones. Here’s how to delete this data from Windows.
1. Access the properties
Open the directory containing your photos and select all the files for which you want to delete the EXIF data. Then right click on the selection, and open Properties.
2. Erase personal data
In the window that appears, click the Details tab. All of the metadata contained in your photos is displayed.
To remove them, click Remove properties and personal data.
A new window should then open. You have two options: Create a copy by deleting all possible properties, or Delete the following properties from this file.
If you choose the first option, your original files will be kept as is, and a copy without EXIF data will be automatically created.
If you opt for the second option, you will have to manually indicate the data you want to disappear by checking the appropriate boxes.