Before you clean
Inspect the file first. If it contains Content Credentials, removing metadata may remove or invalidate provenance information. Keep the original as an archival copy.
- Check GPS and serial fields
- Note EXIF orientation
- Check for an ICC color profile
- Check for C2PA before modifying the copy
Lossless metadata removal
A segment-level JPEG cleaner can preserve entropy-coded image data. PNG and WebP cleaners can remove metadata chunks while leaving image chunks and animation frames untouched. This is different from opening and re-exporting the pixels through a canvas.
Verify the output
Parse the cleaned copy again, confirm the targeted fields are gone, verify that it still decodes, and compare the file size. A tool should only claim pixel preservation for code paths it actually checks.
What this does not prove
A metadata result describes the fields and structures that the supported parser could read. It does not, by itself, prove authenticity, intent, authorship or the truth of the visible scene.