CLUSTER METADATA-EXIF-GPS · 38 ENTRIES · EARLIEST ENTRY 2020-05-29

Privacy metadata removal tools

This cluster comprises desktop, mobile, and web applications focused on protecting user privacy by stripping metadata (EXIF, IPTC, XMP, GPS), redacting sensitive information, and removing watermarks or unwanted objects from images, videos, and PDFs. The dated history before the index start shows sporadic releases from 2018 through 2024, a gap in 2025, and a concentration of new entries in early 2026, though the overall pattern is irregular. Traction leaders are metaclean (12 stars), local-privacy-converter (3 stars), and cleanmeta-pro (1 star).

Entry timeline

ENTRY TIMELINE

JAN 2018: 1MAY 2019: 1JAN 2020: 1MAY 2020: 1MAY 2022: 1SEP 2023: 1FEB 2024: 1APR 2024: 1JUL 2024: 1AUG 2024: 1JAN 2026: 2MAR 2026: 1JUL 2026: 1AUG 2026: 10SEP 2026: 10OCT 2026: 4
JAN 2018OCT 2026

Members by activity

Activity signals, not revenue.

Build origin · 2 hand-coded · 18 unlabelled

Operator · 9 hobby · 5 open source · 6 unlabelled

Two labels per entry, never collapsed into one: how it was built, and who stands behind it. Counted over the 20 listed below. Unlabelled means nothing has decided yet — not that the answer is small.

  1. 01metaclean16★27 dayslivehobbyDesktop application that strips private metadata such as GPS coordinates, author names, and tracked changes from images, documents, and PDFs before sharing.
  2. 02hushshot1★11 daysliveBrowser-based tool that automatically blurs sensitive information in screenshots and PDFs, removes hidden metadata, and works entirely offline.
  3. 03ghost-image1★9 days—hobbyCommand-line privacy tool that strips photo metadata and applies subtle pixel noise to protect images from tracking and AI scraping.
  4. 04MetaClean0★6 days—hobbyDesktop app that removes hidden metadata such as location, device and date from photos, videos and audio without re-encoding, for safer sharing.
  5. 05pentimento0★22 days—Photo privacy tool that reveals hidden metadata in image files and lets users edit or remove it while keeping the image pixels unchanged.
  6. 06opion-privacy-dashboard0★12 dayslivehobbyAndroid privacy app that strips photo metadata, cleans tracking links, wipes clipboard, and audits device security fully on-device.
  7. 07ScrubPony0★18 daysliveopen sourcePrivacy app that removes GPS coordinates and hidden metadata from photos on-device without altering the picture.
  8. 08black-lens0★6 daysliveWeb app that shows hidden photo metadata, removes identifying information, and lets users add their own author and copyright details.
  9. 09remove-image-metadata0★19 days—hobbyA macOS Finder quick action that removes EXIF, GPS, and AI-generation tags from images to protect privacy without altering pixels.
  10. 10Kavach0★3 days—hobbyBrowser extension that scans outgoing files for sensitive data, removes hidden location metadata, and prevents credential leaks before upload.
  11. 11EXIF Remove0★1 moliveopen sourceAndroid app that removes or randomizes metadata from photos and videos before sharing, using configurable templates to control location, date, and camera information.
  12. 12exifcleaner-bin0★1 moliveopen sourceDesktop application that strips metadata from images, videos, PDFs, and other files to protect user privacy.
  13. 13Scrambled Exif0★1 molivehand-codedopen sourceAndroid app that removes metadata from photos during the share flow before sending them on to another app.
  14. 14poisto0★10 daysliveDesktop app that automatically removes EXIF, PDF, and video metadata from files as soon as they land in watched folders.
  15. 15cleanmeta-pro1★1 mo—hobbyDesktop app for Windows that removes embedded metadata from images before sharing, processing files locally and leaving original files untouched.
  16. 16Unmark0★1 molivehand-codedopen sourceMobile app that removes watermarks and unwanted objects from photos entirely on-device, with manual brush controls and privacy-focused local processing.
  17. 17image-autonamer2★1 mo—hobbyMenu bar app that automatically renames downloaded images using a local vision model for privacy.
  18. 18photo-forensics0★1 mo—hobbyTerminal tool that reveals GPS, device, and editing metadata from photos entirely locally for privacy and forensic analysis.
  19. 19metadatastripper.com0★1 moliveWeb application that strips metadata from files to protect privacy when sharing.
  20. 20pdf-redactor0★1 mo—Local desktop application that permanently removes sensitive information from PDF documents, including names, personal data, and metadata.