How to View Hidden Metadata on iPhone and Android

Mobile operating systems bury metadata tools deep in menus—perhaps to avoid confusing casual users. But if you know where to look, you can audit what your device is about to share before it leaves your camera roll.

iPhone: Use the Info Drawer

Open Photos and choose an image.
Swipe up or tap the ⓘ Info button.
Scroll to see Camera, Lens, and Location data.
Tap the map thumbnail to view the precise GPS coordinates.

You can adjust the time and date, but you cannot actually remove metadata from this interface. Apple offers a “Use When Sharing” toggle that hides location when you tap the share sheet, yet the original photo keeps its GPS forever.

Android: Varies by Manufacturer

Google Photos and Samsung Gallery provide basic viewers—look for the “Details” or “Info” option. Some devices allow you to edit or remove location inline, but only for that copy and only for GPS. EXIF technical details remain locked in.

Heads up: When you send the original file via messaging apps, email, or AirDrop, the full metadata is transmitted. The lightweight viewers do nothing to protect you.

Faster: Inspect and Clean in the Browser

Save yourself the hunt through system menus by opening PhotoMetadataTool.com directly on your phone. Drop a photo into the browser, view every field with color-coded warnings, and remove risky metadata in one tap. The processing stays on-device, so nothing uploads to a server.

Mobile Workflow Tips

Add the web app to your home screen for one-tap access (use the Install button in the header).
Batch your cleaning by selecting multiple images; the tool produces a ZIP download of sanitized files.
Use the metadata editor to add safe captions and keywords so your photo library stays organized.

Know what your phone is saying before you share.

With one drag-and-drop, you can inspect and clean mobile photos far faster than digging through hidden menus.

Inspect a Photo Now →