Delete metadata of an image file by using ExifTool

Linux

Abstract

Delete metadata of an image file by using ExifTool on Ubuntu 12.04.
The following command is useful to sanitize images before uploading and downloaded images.

Install ExifTool

$ wget http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/Image-ExifTool-9.60.tar.gz
$ tar xf Image-ExifTool-9.60.tar.gz
$ cd Image-ExifTool-9.60/
$ perl Makefile.PL
$ make test
$ sudo make install
$ cd ..
$ rm -rf Image-ExifTool-9.60
$ rm Image-ExifTool-9.60.tar.gz

Command

# Delete metadata of an image file.
$ exiftool -all= input_image.jpg -out output_image.jpg

Example

Use AcerCE-5330.jpg in Acer.tar.gz downloaded from sample images as an example.

# Before deleting metadata.
$ exiftool AcerCE-5330.jpg 
ExifTool Version Number         : 9.60
File Name                       : AcerCE-5330.jpg
Directory                       : .
File Size                       : 22 kB
File Modification Date/Time     : yyyy:MM:dd HH:mm:ss
File Access Date/Time           : yyyy:MM:dd HH:mm:ss
File Inode Change Date/Time     : yyyy:MM:dd HH:mm:ss
File Permissions                : rw-r--r--
File Type                       : JPEG
MIME Type                       : image/jpeg
Exif Byte Order                 : Little-endian (Intel, II)
Image Description               : ACER
Make                            : ACER
Camera Model Name               : CE-5330
Orientation                     : Horizontal (normal)
X Resolution                    : 72
Y Resolution                    : 72
Resolution Unit                 : inches
Software                        : V1.00
Modify Date                     : 2009:10:10 22:58:22
Y Cb Cr Positioning             : Co-sited
Exposure Time                   : 1/30
F Number                        : 2.8
Exposure Program                : Program AE
ISO                             : 100
...
Circle Of Confusion             : 0.005 mm
Field Of View                   : 53.8 deg
Focal Length                    : 5.4 mm (35 mm equivalent: 35.5 mm)
Hyperfocal Distance             : 2.28 m
Light Value                     : 7.9


# Delete metadata and output as AcerCE-5330.out.jpg.
$ exiftool -all= AcerCE-5330.jpg -o AcerCE-5330.out.jpg
    1 image files created


# After deleting metadata.
$ exiftool AcerCE-5330.out.jpg 
ExifTool Version Number         : 9.60
File Name                       : AcerCE-5330.out.jpg
Directory                       : .
File Size                       : 251 bytes
File Modification Date/Time     : yyyy:MM:dd HH:mm:ss
File Access Date/Time           : yyyy:MM:dd HH:mm:ss
File Inode Change Date/Time     : yyyy:MM:dd HH:mm:ss
File Permissions                : rw-rw-r--
File Type                       : JPEG
MIME Type                       : image/jpeg
Image Width                     : 8
Image Height                    : 8
Encoding Process                : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample                 : 8
Color Components                : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling            : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2)
Image Size                      : 8x8

References