Metadata
Data stored inside a file that describes the file itself — including author, creation date, camera settings, GPS location, and more.
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What Is Metadata?
Metadata is "data about data" — information embedded inside a file that describes the file itself rather than its primary content. A photograph of a landscape contains the photograph (the content) and metadata describing when, where, and how the photograph was taken.
Types of File Metadata
Image Metadata (EXIF)
JPEG and TIFF images embed EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data, which can include:
- Camera make and model
- Lens type and focal length
- Aperture, shutter speed, ISO
- GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude)
- Date and time of capture
- Copyright and author fields
Privacy risk: Sharing a photo with GPS EXIF data reveals the exact location where it was taken. Most social media platforms strip EXIF on upload, but direct file sharing does not.
PDF Metadata (XMP / DocInfo)
PDF files embed:
- Title, Author, Subject, Keywords
- Creation date and last-modified date
- Application used to create the PDF
- PDF version
- A full preview thumbnail (can add 50–150 KB)
Document Metadata (DOCX)
Word documents embed the author's name, revision history, and sometimes tracked changes that appear to be deleted but remain in the file.
When to Strip Metadata
✅ Before sharing files publicly — prevent GPS location or author identity leakage ✅ Before emailing sensitive documents — tracked changes may contain confidential draft content ✅ When optimizing file size — EXIF data and PDF thumbnails add measurable overhead ✅ When submitting legal or official documents — revision history should not be included