Windows’ “Remove Properties and Personal Information” option, found in a file’s Properties under the Details tab, is a free way to strip common metadata such as GPS coordinates, camera details, and author fields from photos, and it can make a cleaned copy. It works on the properties Windows knows how to show, so metadata stored in other places can survive. MetaForge’s Store listing says it “removes the XMP location data the built-in Windows tool leaves behind,” and it adds batch processing, a Simulate Run preview, RAW sidecar handling, and copyright stamping, all offline.
Use the built-in tool for a quick one-off. Use a dedicated tool when privacy really matters or the batch is large.
Remove GPS, serial numbers, and XMP location data from a whole folder at once.
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How do I use Remove Properties and Personal Information?
The steps are the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10:
- Select one or more files in File Explorer.
- Right-click and choose Properties.
- Open the Details tab.
- Select “Remove Properties and Personal Information” at the bottom.
- Choose an option:
- “Create a copy with all possible properties removed,” or
- “Remove the following properties from this file,” then tick the fields (or Select All).
- Select OK.
The copy option is the safer choice, because the original stays untouched and you share the copy.
What does it remove well?
For common photo formats, it handles the fields that File Explorer displays on the Details tab: things like the date taken, camera maker and model, exposure details, author, and GPS coordinates. For a single JPEG you are about to email, that is often enough.
It is also free, already installed, and needs no internet connection.
Where does the built-in tool fall short?
Note the wording of the copy option itself: “all possible properties.” The tool removes what Windows can see and edit for that file type, which is not necessarily everything stored in the file. In practice the gaps are:
| Gap | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Metadata outside the fields Windows shows | Some data sits in blocks the Details tab does not expose |
| XMP location data | MetaForge’s listing says this is left behind; location can survive as XMP even after GPS is cleared |
| Some file types | Support depends on the format; a user on Microsoft Q&A reported a WAV file whose title would not clear even with Select All |
| RAW files and sidecars | An .xmp sidecar next to a RAW photo is a separate file and is not touched |
| No preview | You cannot see a list of exactly what will change across a batch |
| No report | Nothing records what was removed, for your own records |
| One dialog at a time | Large folders across subfolders are slow to process |
For Office documents, Microsoft points to a different tool: the Document Inspector (File, Info, Check for Issues, Inspect Document), which removes document properties, comments, revisions, hidden text, and more. Use that for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
Why does location survive in some photos?
Location is often stored more than once. A phone writes EXIF GPS coordinates; a photo manager may add city and country names in IPTC fields; an editor may keep copies in XMP. Clearing one leaves the others. Our explainer on EXIF vs IPTC vs XMP covers where each lives.
Simulate Run shows every metadata change before any file is touched.
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How does MetaForge compare with the built-in option?
| Windows built-in | MetaForge | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | One-time purchase |
| Where | File Properties, Details tab | Dedicated app |
| GPS and camera fields | Yes, for supported formats | Yes, Privacy Mode |
| Device serial numbers and owner fields | Where shown on Details | Yes, Privacy Mode |
| XMP location data | Left behind, per MetaForge’s listing | Removed |
| Batch across folders | Select files manually | Built for big libraries |
| Preview before changes | No | Simulate Run |
| RAW files | Limited | XMP sidecar creation and merging for .CR2, .NEF, .ARW, .DNG |
| Add copyright and author | Edit fields one by one | Batch EXIF and IPTC copyright |
| Organize by date or camera | No | Yes, routing rules |
| Formats | Depends on Windows support | JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WebP, HEIC, common RAW |
| Offline | Yes | Yes, no telemetry, no account |
When is the built-in tool enough?
- One or two JPEGs you are sending to someone you trust.
- You only care about GPS and the photo came straight from your phone.
- You cannot install software on the PC you are using.
Make a copy with the built-in option, then open the copy’s Details tab to confirm the fields are gone.
When should I use MetaForge instead?
- Public posting of photos taken at home, at a client’s site, or anywhere private.
- Large batches, such as a listing shoot, an event gallery, or a whole year of photos.
- RAW workflows with sidecar files.
- You need a preview of what will change, or want copyright added in the same pass.
- You want to be sure about XMP, not just EXIF GPS.
A typical MetaForge pass:
- Copy the photos into a working folder.
- Choose Privacy Mode to strip GPS, altitude, serial numbers, and owner fields.
- Optionally add copyright and author.
- Run Simulate and review.
- Run it, then open a result to check.
How do I check that a photo is really clean?
Whichever tool you use, check the result rather than trusting the button:
- Open the cleaned copy’s Properties, Details tab. GPS, camera, and author fields should be empty. This is a quick first check, not a full one, because the tab shows only the fields Windows supports.
- Look at the file size. Removing a large XMP block or an embedded preview often shrinks the file slightly. No change at all after a “full” clean is worth a second look.
- Inspect with a dedicated tool. MetaForge’s Simulate Run lists what it would change on a file; run it on the cleaned copy and it should show little or nothing left for Privacy Mode to remove.
- Check the sidecars. If the photo has an .xmp file beside it, either clean it or do not share it.
- Test the upload path. If a platform shows a location on upload, the location came from somewhere in the file, or from your account settings.
This takes a minute and catches the cases where one tool silently skipped a field.
Frequently asked questions
Does Remove Properties and Personal Information delete GPS?
For supported photo formats, GPS fields shown on the Details tab can be removed. Location stored elsewhere, such as XMP, may remain.
Is it safe to remove properties from the original file?
It changes the file in place. Use “Create a copy with all possible properties removed” so the original stays intact.
Why can’t I remove some properties?
Windows can only edit properties it supports for that file type. Some formats and fields are read-only in the dialog.
Does MetaForge work offline?
Yes. No uploads, no telemetry, and no account, on Windows 10 and 11.
Try MetaForge
Get MetaForge from the Microsoft Store and read the MetaForge product page. Related: bulk remove GPS metadata from photos and strip EXIF and GPS for privacy.
Privacy in one pass: GPS, serials, and XMP location, removed offline.
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Microsoft, Windows, File Explorer, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Other product names are trademarks of their owners. MetaForge is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
Last updated 17 October 2026. Published by Automata Labs, a software company in Canada.