- What is metadata?
- Metadata is information embedded in a file alongside the image content itself — things like the device that captured it, the date and time, GPS coordinates, and software used to edit it. It's not visible when you view the file normally.
- What metadata can be removed?
- For images (JPG, PNG, WEBP), MetaClean removes EXIF, IPTC, XMP, and ICC profile data, including GPS coordinates and camera details.
- Do I need an account?
- No. MetaClean doesn't have accounts, logins, or passwords. You can use the full product without providing any personal information.
- Are my files stored?
- No. Files are processed for the duration of your request and are not retained afterward. See the Privacy page for the full details of how uploads are handled.
- What file formats are supported?
- JPG/JPEG, PNG, and WEBP images. Support for additional formats may be added later.
- What are the quality options for?
- After upload, you can choose Original (keeps the image at its current resolution), or High/1080p/720p, which cap the longer side of the image at 2560/1920/1280 pixels while keeping proportions unchanged. A smaller original is never enlarged by picking a larger preset.
- Can metadata removal affect image quality?
- Images are re-encoded during cleaning. MetaClean uses a high-quality setting for that re-encode, but a re-encoded JPEG or WEBP is not byte-for-byte identical to the original — PNG re-encoding is lossless. Choosing a resize preset smaller than the original will also reduce the pixel dimensions, by design.
- Can metadata always be completely removed?
- Not with absolute certainty in every case. Removal depends on the file format and the fields it uses. MetaClean removes the standard, well-documented metadata categories — EXIF, IPTC, XMP, and ICC — but some files may contain vendor-specific or proprietary metadata that isn't exposed through standard tags.
- What happens after processing?
- The cleaned file is sent back to your browser as a download in the same request. Nothing is emailed, queued, or kept on the server afterward.