Check metadata before publishing

Information That May Be Included in Photos

Some image files may contain metadata such as shooting date and time, device information, camera settings, and location data. Not every image contains all of this — the details depend on the camera app, editing app, and the platform where the image was shared or saved.

If an image containing location data is published as-is, it may reveal clues about where it was taken. Building a habit of checking metadata before publishing can help when you would prefer that your home, school, workplace, or travel destination not be inferred.

EXIF Settings in MistSeal

MistSeal includes an EXIF removal setting at export time. When EXIF removal is turned off for JPEG/JPG files, it attempts to carry over the original EXIF where possible. For PNG, WebP, and other non-JPEG formats, the behavior differs and EXIF is generally not carried over.

Rather than assuming "all location data has been completely removed," it is important to verify based on the image format, the source file, and any re-compression that may occur on the platform you publish to.

Items to Check Before Publishing

• Whether location data is included
• Whether shooting date and time or device name can remain
• Whether the platform or messaging app re-processes the image
• Whether addresses, maps, notifications, or other personal details are visible inside the image

For questions about how images are handled, also see the FAQ.