How to remove location from iPhone photos before you share them

iPhones are very good at geotagging. As long as the Camera app has location access, every photo and video records where it was taken, usually accurate to a few meters. That's what powers the map view in your Photos library, and it's handy for remembering trips. It's less handy when you post a picture of your new sofa on a marketplace app and the file quietly includes the coordinates of your living room.

Below are four methods, from quickest to most thorough. Menu names are from recent versions of iOS. If yours look slightly different, the options are usually in the same place.

Method 1: Remove location from an iPhone photo in the Photos app

This removes the location from the photo stored in your library, so it stays off for any later sharing.

1. Open the Photos app and tap the photo.
2. Swipe up on the photo, or tap the info button (the small "i").
3. You'll see a map with the location. Tap Adjust next to it.
4. Tap No Location.

To do several at once, tap Select, choose the photos, tap the More button (three dots), then Adjust Location and No Location.

The downside: you lose the location in your own library too, so the photo disappears from your Places map. If you like that map, use Method 2 instead.

Method 2: Turn off location when sharing a photo

This is the best everyday option. Your library keeps the location, and the copy you send goes without it.

1. Open the photo, or select several, and tap the Share button.
2. At the top of the share sheet, tap Options.
3. Switch off Location. If you see All Photos Data, leave it off too.
4. Tap Done and share as usual.

The setting applies to that share only, so you'll need to switch it off again next time. Two things to know. First, it only removes location. The camera model, date, time and other EXIF fields stay in the file. Second, how the photo arrives depends on the app you share to. A photo saved to the Files app or sent by email after this step will go without GPS, which is what you want.

Method 3: Stop your iPhone saving location in photos

If you rarely use the photo map, the simplest fix is to stop the problem at the source.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security, then Location Services.
3. Scroll down and tap Camera.
4. Choose Never.

From now on, new photos won't contain GPS coordinates. Photos you've already taken keep theirs, so you'll still need Method 1, 2 or 4 for those. You can also switch Precise Location off for the camera instead of turning location off completely. Photos then record an approximate area rather than an exact point, which is a reasonable middle ground for travel photos.

Method 4: Remove all metadata from iPhone photos with KitFuse

The first three methods deal with location only. If you want to remove everything, including the camera model, lens, date and time, software version and any XMP data, use a full metadata remover. KitFuse runs in Safari, so there's nothing to install, and the photo never leaves your iPhone.

1. Open KitFuse in Safari.
2. Tap Choose photos, then Photo Library, and pick one or more photos.
3. Review what KitFuse found. Photos with GPS data get a red Location found warning showing the exact coordinates.
4. Tap Clean metadata. Each photo gets a green Clean badge once the result has been checked.
5. Tap Save or share and choose Save Image to put the clean copy back in your library, or send it straight to the app you're using.

A quick note on HEIC. iPhones save photos in HEIC format by default. KitFuse cleans HEIC photos in place, so you get a HEIC file back with the picture untouched. If an app or website won't accept HEIC, convert the photo with our HEIC to JPG converter, which removes the metadata at the same time. To shoot JPEG from the start, go to Settings › Camera › Formats and choose Most Compatible.

Which method should you use?

A sensible routine for most people: keep camera location on if you enjoy the map, use the share sheet toggle for casual sharing, and run anything public or sensitive through KitFuse, such as marketplace listings, dating profiles, or photos sent to people you don't know well.

How to check that the location is really gone

Don't assume. Checking takes ten seconds.

• In Photos: open the cleaned photo and swipe up. If there's no map, there's no location in your library copy.
• With KitFuse: add the cleaned file to KitFuse. It should show no location warning and no hidden items.

Our guide on how to check if a photo has GPS data covers other devices as well.

Common questions about iPhone photo location