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How to Remove Location Data in Google Photos

Google Photos lets you hide the estimated location in shared links, but the file you download or hand off can still contain GPS coordinates. This workflow removes location at the file level.

Updated: 2026-06-30

Workflow

Step-by-step workflow

Follow the same privacy pattern as the remover: inspect, strip only metadata, then share the clean copy.

Step 1
Hide location in sharing settings

In Google Photos settings, turn off location for shared items so links do not expose the map pin to viewers.

Step 2
Clean the actual file

Download the photo, then process it in RemoveMyEXIF so the GPS block is removed from the file itself, not just hidden in the interface.

Step 3
Confirm before redistributing

Check the cleaned download in the EXIF Viewer to verify coordinates and timestamps are gone.

Share-Safe Checklist
  • Turn off location sharing for shared albums and links.
  • Clean any file you download before reusing it elsewhere.
  • Do not assume the in-app toggle changes the underlying file.
Common Pitfalls
  • Thinking the hide-location setting strips EXIF from the file; it does not.
  • Re-sharing a downloaded original that still has GPS.
  • Uploading clean files to one service but originals to another.

FAQ

Google Photos questions

Does hiding location in Google Photos remove EXIF GPS?

It hides the estimated location in the shared view, but the downloadable file can still carry GPS coordinates. Clean the file to remove them.

What does a recipient see if I strip EXIF first?

No embedded coordinates to extract. A cleaned file gives them the image without your capture location.

Keep going

Related guides

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How to Remove Location From iPhone Photos Before Sharing
Step-by-step guide to removing location and EXIF details from iPhone photos before sending them in Messages, AirDrop, or social apps.
Android
How to Remove Location Data From Android Photos
Practical Android guide for stripping location metadata before sharing photos in Google Photos, chat apps, and social platforms.