What metadata is hidden in a video?
Besides picture and sound, a video file carries metadata: the exact GPS position where it was recorded, the phone make and model, the date and time, the app or firmware version, and sometimes the owner’s name or an internal ID that links Live Photos together. Anyone who downloads the original file can read it.
Some social networks strip this data when you upload, but many sharing channels — email, cloud links, chat apps sending “as file”, marketplaces and forums — keep it. Cleaning the file yourself is the only way to be sure.
This tool rebuilds the video container from scratch: the audio and video streams are copied unchanged (so there is no quality loss), while tags, XMP packets, cover images and extra data tracks with GPS or sensor readings are left out.
Common metadata in phone videos
| Metadata | Example | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| GPS location | +48.8584+002.2945 | Reveals home, school or workplace |
| Device | Apple iPhone 15 Pro | Identifies your device |
| Creation date | 2026-05-01 18:42 | Reveals when you were somewhere |
| Software | iOS 18.2 / GoPro firmware | Fingerprinting |
| Content ID | Live Photo identifier | Links photos and videos |
| Sensor tracks | GoPro GPMF, camera motion | Full GPS path of the recording |
Tips
- See every detail before and after with the Video Metadata Viewer.
- Compressing with the Video Compressor can also remove metadata while making the file smaller.
- Don’t forget the picture itself — faces, street signs and number plates can reveal locations too.
- Photos have metadata as well: strip it with the Image Compressor.