Does Windows really remove all metadata?

The tool removes the properties it knows how to read, which covers common EXIF fields. Exotic fields written by some software can survive.

Can I process several photos at once?

Yes. Select all the files, then right-click and Properties: the clean-up applies to the whole selection.

Is the original modified?

Not with the default option, which creates a cleaned copy and keeps the original. That is the most common source of mistakes.

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How to remove EXIF data from a photo on Windows

Strip image metadata on Windows with File Explorer, in batches, or straight at share time.

Published by AnonShot · Updated August 28, 2026

The short answer

Windows ships a metadata removal tool right inside File Explorer, and it handles several images at once. It is the simplest method, provided you know its one trap: it creates a copy, and does not always modify the original.

Using File Explorer

The feature has been there since Windows 7 and has not moved. Nothing to install.

Right-click the image, then Properties.
Details tab, then the "Remove Properties and Personal Information" link at the bottom.
Pick "Create a copy with all possible properties removed" to preserve the original, or select which properties to erase on the existing file.
Selecting several files before right-clicking processes the whole batch at once.

The copy trap

The default option generates a new suffixed file and leaves the original untouched in the same folder. Plenty of people then share the original by accident, believing they cleaned it.

Always check the name of the file you attach or upload. To clean in place, use the second option and tick the properties to remove.

Verify before sending

Go back into Properties, Details tab, and scan the Origin and Camera sections. After cleaning, the Authors, Date taken, Camera maker and Camera model fields should be empty.

File Explorer does not display every field that exists. For a serious check on a genuinely sensitive file, a dedicated tool such as exiftool remains more reliable.

When the photo leaves as a link

If the image is headed for a forum, a support team or a stranger, drop it onto AnonShot from your browser: metadata is stripped on upload, with no Explorer steps and no risk of sending the original by mistake.

That last point is the real advantage on Windows. The Explorer method works, but it leaves two files side by side with near-identical names, and the wrong one is easy to grab under time pressure. Cleaning at upload removes the choice entirely.

For a recurring workflow — screenshots you send every week, product photos before listing them — consider setting up a dedicated folder you always clean before sharing, so the habit does not depend on remembering it each time.

Frequently asked questions

Does Windows really remove all metadata?: The tool removes the properties it knows how to read, which covers common EXIF fields. Exotic fields written by some software can survive.
Can I process several photos at once?: Yes. Select all the files, then right-click and Properties: the clean-up applies to the whole selection.
Is the original modified?: Not with the default option, which creates a cleaned copy and keeps the original. That is the most common source of mistakes.