How to strip location metadata from property listing photos
- Step 1Open the tool and follow the redirect — The GPS / Geotag Remover is a cross-suite shortcut. Selecting it sends you to the EXIF Scrubber at /image-tools/exif-scrubber — that page does the work. If you see 'GPS / Geotag Remover is a cross-suite tool', a file was sent to the security processor directly; open the EXIF Scrubber page instead.
- Step 2Gather the listing photos as JPEGs — Export the property shots from the phone or camera as
.jpg. If they came off an iPhone in High Efficiency mode or a Galaxy in HEIF mode, convert them to JPEG first with /image-tools/heic-to-jpg — browsers can't decode HEIC/HEIF on a Canvas. - Step 3Drop the whole set onto the scrubber — Drag the listing JPEGs into the upload area. On a paid tier you can select the full set at once. Nothing is sent to a server — each image is read into browser memory and decoded locally. Free tier is one file per run up to 10 MB; Pro and above raise the size cap and batch count.
- Step 4Run the scrub — The tool paints each decoded image onto an HTML Canvas at native pixel dimensions and exports a new blob per file. Because each export is a fresh encode, the results have no metadata block — no per-tag toggle, no options panel; the scrubber takes no settings.
- Step 5Download the clean photos — Save them. A single image downloads as
clean.png; JPEG input is still real JPEG (the.pngin the name is cosmetic — rename to.jpgif a strict uploader rejects the mismatch). A multi-file batch returns each cleaned image for download, ready to upload to the listing. - Step 6Verify before publishing — Spot-check a cleaned photo in the EXIF Map Previewer — it should report 'no location data', meaning the address can't be read out of the file. Or open it in /image-tools/exif-viewer to confirm no GPS, no camera, no timestamp tags.
What an MLS-bound photo leaks, and what's left after scrubbing
Typical EXIF on a phone-shot listing photo and whether a Canvas re-encode keeps it. The whole container is dropped, so every field is removed in one pass — there is no GPS-only mode.
| Metadata field | What it exposes about the listing | After scrubbing |
|---|---|---|
| GPS Latitude / Longitude | The property's exact location, even on an 'address withheld' ad | Removed |
| GPS Altitude / Img Direction | Floor elevation and which way the camera faced | Removed |
| Date/Time + SubSec | Exactly when photos were shot (staleness of the listing) | Removed |
| Make / Model / Software | The agent's or owner's device and OS | Removed |
| IPTC / XMP (captions, edit history) | Edit app, keywords, internal captions | Removed |
| Pixel data (the actual photo) | The image of the property | Preserved (re-encoded for JPEG) |
Output format by input, for a listing batch
JPEG input re-encodes as JPEG at quality 0.95; every other format exports as PNG. All metadata is removed regardless.
| Input | Output | Notes for listing use |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG (.jpg/.jpeg) | JPEG bytes (named clean.png for a single file) | Best for listings — re-encode at 0.95 is visually identical at web sizes |
| PNG (floor plans, graphics) | PNG (lossless) | Use for plans/diagrams; rarely carries GPS but still re-encoded clean |
| WebP / BMP / GIF | PNG (re-encoded) | First GIF frame only; convert virtual-tour clips elsewhere |
| HEIC / HEIF | Fails to load | Convert via /image-tools/heic-to-jpg first |
Tier limits for the image-tools EXIF Scrubber
The scrubber runs in the image tool family, so it uses image-family limits. All processing is local; limits guard browser memory. A 20-photo listing needs Pro or higher.
| Tier | Max file size | Files per batch |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10 MB | 1 |
| Pro | 100 MB | 10 |
| Pro-media | 2 GB | 50 |
| Developer | 2 GB | Unlimited |
Cookbook
Real estate scenarios with what goes in and what comes out. 'before' rows are the metadata an EXIF reader shows on the original; 'after' rows are what it shows on the downloaded file.
Scrub a single exterior shot before it goes live
A phone-shot exterior carries the property's GPS, the timestamp, and the agent's device. After the scrubber, an EXIF reader finds nothing — the address can't be lifted from the file.
Before (exiftool on front_exterior.jpg): GPS Latitude : 40 deg 42' 51.0" N GPS Longitude : 74 deg 0' 21.0" W Date/Time : 2026:05:20 11:05:33 Make / Model : Apple / iPhone 15 Action: drop onto EXIF Scrubber -> download clean.png After (exiftool on the download): (no EXIF / IPTC / XMP tags found) -> rename to .jpg before uploading to the listing
Confirm a 'location withheld' set is actually leaking, then scrub
A pocket listing or rental that hides the address can still ship the coordinates in every photo. Plot one in the EXIF Map Previewer to prove the leak, scrub the set, then re-check.
Step 1 EXIF Map Previewer on kitchen.jpg
-> marker lands on the exact property
Step 2 EXIF Scrubber on the 20-photo set (Pro)
-> 20 x clean images
Step 3 EXIF Map Previewer on a cleaned photo
-> 'no location data' (= address protected)Batch-clean a 20-photo listing (Pro)
A full listing is many files, each geotagged to the property. On Pro the EXIF Scrubber takes up to 10 at once; for 20+ use Pro-media (50) or Developer (unlimited). Free tier is one at a time.
Free tier : 1 file <= 10 MB per run (slow for a listing) Pro : up to 10 files, <= 100 MB each Pro-media : up to 50 files, <= 2 GB each Drop the listing set -> each photo returns clean, GPS + timestamp + device fingerprint all removed.
HEIC photos from an iPhone-shooting agent
Agents shooting in High Efficiency send HEIC files the scrubber can't decode. Convert first, then batch-scrub the JPEGs.
Drop IMG_3310.HEIC onto EXIF Scrubber -> fails to load (no clean output) Fix: 1. /image-tools/heic-to-jpg -> IMG_3310.jpg (batch ok) 2. EXIF Scrubber on the .jpg set -> clean images (or have the shooter set camera to 'Most Compatible')
Floor plan PNG — clean but lossless
Floor plans and diagrams are usually PNGs. They rarely carry GPS, but the re-encode still strips any embedded metadata (export app, author) while keeping the image lossless.
floorplan.png EXIF reader: software/author tags from the design app Scrub -> clean.png (lossless re-encode, metadata-free) (PNG output is lossless; only JPEG input re-compresses)
Edge cases and what actually happens
It strips everything, not just GPS
By designThere is no 'GPS only' switch. The scrubber decodes each image and re-exports it through a Canvas, and a Canvas export has no metadata container — so coordinates, capture time, camera make/model, software, IPTC, and XMP all go in one pass. For listings that is exactly what you want, but it means you can't keep the shoot date while dropping location; it is all-or-nothing.
JPEG output is re-compressed, not a byte-copy
ExpectedJPEG input is re-encoded at quality 0.95, a second lossy pass. At web listing resolutions this is visually indistinguishable and the file usually shrinks once the metadata is gone. It is not a byte-for-byte copy of the original pixels, which matters only if you need a pristine archival master — keep that separately.
HEIC / HEIF input fails to load
Unsupported inputPhotos shot in iPhone High Efficiency or Galaxy HEIF mode are HEIC/HEIF, which most browsers can't decode onto a Canvas, so they never load. Convert to JPEG first with /image-tools/heic-to-jpg, then scrub. Easiest fix: have the shooter capture JPEG.
Output is named clean.png even for a JPEG
Cosmetic mismatchA single-file run downloads as clean.png. For JPEG input the bytes are real JPEG despite the name. Most listing uploaders sniff the content and accept it; a strict one that trusts the extension may complain — rename to .jpg. It is a naming quirk, not corruption.
Free tier is single-file only
Tier limitOn free you scrub one photo per run, which is slow for a 20-shot listing. The multi-file batch needs Pro (10), Pro-media (50), or Developer (unlimited). The per-file privacy result is identical across tiers — only throughput differs.
Watermarked or pre-edited photos
PreservedIf a photo was already edited or watermarked, the scrubber re-encodes the pixels as-is — watermarks and visible edits stay (they're part of the image), only the metadata is removed. It won't add or remove visible branding; it isn't an editor.
Reached the security processor directly
ErrorThe GPS / Geotag Remover is a cross-suite tool that redirects to the EXIF Scrubber. If a file hits the security processor for this slug, it throws: 'GPS / Geotag Remover is a cross-suite tool. Open it at /image-tools/exif-scrubber to process files.' Use the EXIF Scrubber page.
Very large drone or DSLR photo over the limit
RejectedAerial drone shots and high-MP DSLR exports can exceed the 10 MB free cap. Pro raises it to 100 MB and Pro-media/Developer to 2 GB. Extremely large pixel dimensions can also hit browser Canvas size ceilings independent of the byte limit — downscale to web resolution first if needed.
Animated virtual-tour GIF
Lossy by designA GIF is decoded as a single frame and re-exported as PNG, so animation is lost. Don't run animated virtual-tour GIFs through this; it's for still listing photos. Clean those in a video metadata tool instead if motion must be preserved.
Photo had no GPS to begin with
PreservedSome cameras or workflows already strip location. The scrubber still runs and produces a metadata-free copy, but there was nothing to remove. Check first with the EXIF Map Previewer — if it says 'no location data', the photo was already safe.
Frequently asked questions
Do client property photos get uploaded anywhere?
No. The GPS / Geotag Remover redirects to the EXIF Scrubber, which runs entirely in your browser using an HTML Canvas. Each photo is read into memory, decoded, and re-encoded locally — no bytes leave your machine. Open the browser Network tab while scrubbing to confirm no upload requests.
Will scrubbing make my listing photos look worse?
Not noticeably. Dimensions and content are preserved; JPEG input re-encodes at quality 0.95, which is visually identical at web listing sizes. PNG floor plans re-encode losslessly. For an archival master keep the original separately — the scrubbed copy is for publishing.
Can I clean a whole 20-photo listing in one go?
Yes, on a paid tier. The EXIF Scrubber takes a multi-file selection: up to 10 on Pro, 50 on Pro-media, unlimited on Developer. The free tier is one file per run, which is slow for a full listing. Each photo gets the same full-metadata removal.
Does this protect an 'address withheld' or pocket listing?
Yes, against the metadata leak. Even when the ad hides the address, each photo can carry the property's GPS in EXIF — anyone downloading a photo can read it. Scrubbing removes those coordinates so the file can't reveal the location. Visible cues in the photo itself (street signs, house numbers) are separate; this tool only touches metadata.
Does it strip just GPS, or all metadata?
All of it. The Canvas re-encode yields a file with no metadata container, so GPS, capture timestamp, device make/model, software, IPTC captions, and XMP all go together. There is no GPS-only mode — which for listings is ideal, since the timestamp and device fingerprint are also worth removing.
How do I verify the address can't be read from the file?
Spot-check a cleaned photo in the EXIF Map Previewer — it should report 'no location data'. Or open it in /image-tools/exif-viewer to confirm there are no GPS, camera, or timestamp tags left.
My agent shoots HEIC — does that work?
Not directly. Most browsers can't decode HEIC/HEIF onto a Canvas, so it won't load. Convert to JPEG first with /image-tools/heic-to-jpg, then scrub. Or have the shooter set the camera to capture JPEG (iPhone: 'Most Compatible').
Why is the download named clean.png when I uploaded a JPEG?
A single-file run is always named clean.png. For JPEG input the bytes are real JPEG — the name is cosmetic. Most listing uploaders detect the actual format; if one rejects it, rename to .jpg.
What's the biggest file I can scrub for free?
10 MB on the free tier, which covers most phone-shot listing JPEGs. Drone aerials and high-MP DSLR exports can exceed it — Pro raises the cap to 100 MB and Pro-media/Developer to 2 GB. These are image-family limits, since the scrubber lives in the image suite.
Does removing metadata reduce the file size?
Usually a little. The metadata block is a few KB to a few dozen KB, so removing it shaves that off. The JPEG re-encode at quality 0.95 can change the size more in either direction, but the visible quality is unchanged.
Can I scrub floor plans and graphics too?
Yes. PNG floor plans and diagrams run through the same scrubber; the output is a lossless PNG re-encode with any embedded metadata (export-app name, author) removed. Only JPEG input is re-compressed; PNG stays lossless.
What about metadata in listing PDFs or videos?
This tool handles image files only. For documents, the Office Doc Property Wiper strips author and comments from .docx/.xlsx/.pptx brochures. To find redundant embedded preview thumbnails inside a file, use the Hidden Thumbnail Extractor; for video tour clips, use the video suite's metadata tools.
Privacy first
Every JAD Security operation runs entirely in your browser. Files, passwords, and PGP private keys never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.