# Metadata removal privacy ratings

Tools that strip location and device data from files.

| Name | Grade | Jurisdiction | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [ExifCleaner](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/exifcleaner/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that removes metadata from images, media files and PDFs, with drag and drop and batch processing. It uses ExifTool. |
| [ExifEraser](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/exiferaser/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | Android app that removes Exif and other metadata from JPEG, PNG and WebP images. The developer considers it in maintenance mode, with bug fixes only. |
| [ExifTool](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/exiftool/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | Cross-platform Perl library and command-line tool by Phil Harvey for reading, writing and removing metadata in images, audio, video and documents. |
| [ImageOptim](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/imageoptim/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | macOS app that compresses images and removes metadata such as EXIF data, comments and color profiles, using drag and drop. |
| [mat2](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/mat2/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | Python library and command-line tool that removes metadata from images, audio, video, office documents, PDFs and archives. Includes a service menu for the Dolphin and Nemo file managers. |
| [Metadata Cleaner](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/metadata-cleaner/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | GNOME desktop app for viewing and removing metadata in files, built on the mat2 library. Maintained by a community project after the original author stepped down. |
| [Scrambled Exif](https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/scrambled-exif/) | B (80/100) | Unknown | Android app that removes Exif metadata from pictures before they are shared, by acting as an intermediate step in the share menu. |

## Criteria

- **Open source** (weight 3): Is all the source code needed to run the product public?
- **No trackers or telemetry** (weight 3): Are the website and apps free of third-party trackers, with any analytics anonymous and any telemetry off by default?
- **No ads or data sales** (weight 2): Is the product funded without advertising, ad targeting or selling user data?
- **Independent audit** (weight 2): Has an independent security or privacy audit been published within the last three years?

Source: https://privacyratings.com/metadata-removal/