Photo EXIF Data: How Photos Reveal Your Location
A photo can carry your exact location inside the file. Here is how to check for it, remove it and stop your phone adding it.
By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 18, 2026EXIF data is hidden information stored inside a photo, such as the date, time, camera model and, if location was on, GPS coordinates. Shared as a file, it can reveal where you live or spend time. On iPhone, turn off Location in the share Options or set Camera location to Never. On Android, turn off location in the camera app or remove it when sharing. Many social networks strip it, but files sent by email or cloud links may keep it.
Your email is the key to most of your accounts. Has it already leaked?
Free · About 30 seconds · No sign-up · Email not stored
Every photo you take can include a small block of data called EXIF. Most of it is harmless, such as the shutter speed. But if location was on, the file can contain GPS coordinates accurate enough to point to a building. That is a privacy problem when you share photos taken at home.
What EXIF data includes
- Date and time the photo was taken
- Phone or camera make and model
- Camera settings such as exposure and focal length
- GPS latitude and longitude, if location was on
- Sometimes the direction the camera faced
How to check a photo for location
On iPhone, Apple’s guide to location metadata explains that you can open a photo and swipe up or tap the Info button to see its location. Photos with GPS data also appear on the map in the Photos app. On Android, open the photo in your gallery app and view its details.
Quick check before you read on: is your email in a known data breach? Free, about 30 seconds.
Free · About 30 seconds · No sign-up · Email not stored
How to remove location before sharing
1iPhone: use share Options
Select the photo, tap Share, then Options, and turn off Location. Apple says the share sheet then shows Location Not Included.
2iPhone: remove it from a saved photo
Open the photo, tap More, then Adjust Info, then Adjust Location, and choose No Location.
3Android: check the share or edit options
Many gallery apps, including Google Photos, let you remove location from a photo or exclude it when sharing. Look in the photo’s info or the share settings.
How to stop your phone saving location
1iPhone
Apple says to go to Settings, Privacy and Security, Location Services, Camera and select Never. Photos can only record location while Camera has location access.
2Android
Open the camera app settings and turn off location tags or saving location.
Location clues in the picture itself
Even without EXIF data, the image can give you away. House numbers, street signs, car plates, school uniforms and the view from your window are easy clues. Australia’s eSafety advises leaving out uniforms, street names and identifying features of your home, especially in photos of children. See what sharenting is and why it matters.
Why this matters
Photo location is a common way people are found by someone they did not want to find them. It is a key part of doxxing and of OSINT. Fitness apps and maps can do the same, as covered in fitness app privacy.
Photos you have already shared
Go back to places where you shared original photo files, such as cloud albums, forums, marketplaces and old blogs. Replace photos taken at home with versions without location data, or delete them. For social media, check whether the platform shows a location tag on the post and remove it.
Check before you post a home photo
Before sharing any photo taken at home, ask two questions. Does the file carry location? Does the picture show anything that identifies the house or street? If either answer is yes, fix it first.
Selling items online
Marketplace photos are often taken at home and uploaded as original files. Before you list an item, remove location from the photos and check the background for anything that shows your address.
Sources
- Apple Support: Manage location metadata in Photos (view, remove and stop saving location)
- eSafety Commissioner: Privacy and your child (location clues and metadata in photos)
Frequently asked questions
What is EXIF data?
Hidden information stored in a photo file, such as date, camera model and sometimes GPS location.
Can a photo show where I live?
Yes, if it was taken at home with location on and shared as an original file.
Does Instagram or Facebook remove location data?
Large platforms often strip GPS data from uploads, but check settings and remove it yourself to be safe.
How do I stop my iPhone saving photo location?
Go to Settings, Privacy and Security, Location Services, Camera and choose Never.
Do screenshots have location data?
Screenshots generally do not include GPS location, but they can still show identifying details on screen.
See if your email has already leaked
- Checks your email against known data breaches
- Shows which sites leaked it, when, and what leaked
- We do not store the email you check
Compare data removal services
See which services work in your country, what they cost, and the free do-it-yourself route.
Compare removal services →Prefer a one-time report first? Scan My Shadow, our sister service, $9.99.