Whether you’re a privacy nerd, an OSINT researcher, or just someone who wants to understand what your photos are secretly saying about you, EXIF data is worth paying attention to. That seemingly innocent vacation pic? It might be leaking your GPS location, camera details, and more. Check out The EXIF Guide to learn a bit more.
Over the past few years, I’ve tested nearly every EXIF editor and viewer I could find. Some were powerful but hard to use. Others were pretty but required uploads (which I wasn’t comfortable with). Some were blocked by paywalls. That frustration actually led me to build my own tool to get exactly what I wanted, but I had time on my hands and most people don’t! So here are my top 3 that I keep coming back to, that together offer what I consider to be the complete package.
These aren’t ranked — each serves a different purpose. Depending on what you need (editing, viewing, redacting, batch processing), one of these might be perfect.
ExifEditor.io — A Clean, Browser-Based EXIF Tool
Source: exifeditor.io
- Pros:
- 100% browser-side — nothing is uploaded, everything runs locally.
- Shows all metadata (not just GPS or timestamps) for JPEG, PNG, and TIFF files and supports multiple standards.
- Allows you to selectively remove or edit fields for supported types.
- Instant and unlimited downloads - no account required, and no hidden paywalls.
- Modern, modular, customisable UI with bulk analysis features.
- Cons:
- Doesn’t support very niche file types
- Not as comprehensively tested as EXIF Tool
It’s been well-received by users in the OSINT and privacy communities and is updated regularly.
ExifTool — The OG Powerhouse (for Command-Line Pros)
Source: exiftool.org
- Pros:
- Insanely powerful — you can batch-edit thousands of files
- Supports dozens of metadata standards beyond EXIF (IPTC, XMP, etc.)
- Open-source, battle-tested, and frequently updated.
- Cons:
- It’s command-line only (no GUI), which isn’t beginner-friendly
- The learning curve can be steep
Still, if you’re doing bulk forensics, investigative journalism, or anything programmatic, this is your best friend.
Exif Pilot — Windows-Based Editor With Batch Support
Source: colorpilot.com
- Pros:
- Batch edit support
- Can add missing EXIF data manually
- Suitable for heavy-duty image libraries
- Cons:
- Windows only
- Not ideal for casual users
- Paid tier for batch editing
It’s reliable and widely used by digital archivists and photographers who need local editing power.
Final Thoughts
EXIF data can reveal a lot more than people think — from GPS coordinates to device IDs to shooting times. The right tool depends on whether you’re a developer, a journalist, or just someone trying to protect their privacy online.
If you want a simple, browser-based way to view and clean metadata without handing your photos to someone else’s server, give ExifEditor.io a try. If you’re looking for the most comprehensive EXIF tool out there to tackle those niche file types, you can’t get better than Exif Tool by Phil Harvey.
Got suggestions or other tools you love? Let me know — I’d love to feature more in a follow-up!