How to remove EXIF data without recompressing the JPEG?

Question

I want to remove the EXIF information (including thumbnail, metadata, camera info... everything!) from JPEG files, but I don\'t want to recompress it, as recompressing the J

Answer 1

Hint for convenience: If you are on Windows, you can apply a REG file to the registry, to install an entry in the context menu, so you can easily remove metadata by right-clicking the file and selecting the command.

For example (remember to edit the paths to point to where the executables are installed on your computer):

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For JPEG,JPG,JPE,JFIF files: command "Remove metadata"
(using ExifTool, preserves original file as backup)
exiftool -all= image.jpg

JPG-RemoveExif.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\jpegfile\shell\RemoveMetadata]
@="Remove metadata"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\jpegfile\shell\RemoveMetadata\command]
@="\"C:\\Path to\\exiftool.exe\" -all= \"%1\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\jpegfile\shell\RemoveMetadata]
"Icon"="C:\\Path to\\exiftool.exe,0"

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For PNG files: command "Convert to minified PNG"
(using ImageMagick, changes data overwriting original file)
convert -background none -strip -set filename:n "%t" image.png "%[filename:n].png"

PNG-Minify.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\pngfile\shell\ConvertToMinifiedPNG]
@="Convert to minified PNG"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\pngfile\shell\ConvertToMinifiedPNG\command]
@="\"C:\\Path to\\convert.exe\" -background none -strip -set filename:n \"%%t\" \"%1\" \"%%[filename:n].png\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\pngfile\shell\ConvertToMinifiedPNG]
"Icon"="C:\\Path to\\convert.exe,0"

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Related: convert PNGs to ICO in context menu.