EXIF Data: iPhone vs Android
Short version: both phones do the same thing. iPhone and Android each embed GPS coordinates, camera model, timestamp, and exposure settings in every photo by default, and neither strips that data when you share by email, message, or file. The differences are in where you tap to see it and which built-in switch turns off location. The table below lays it out side by side.
iPhone vs Android EXIF: Side-by-Side Comparison
| iPhone (iOS) | Android | |
|---|---|---|
| GPS saved by default | Yes, when Location is on for Camera | Yes, when location permission is granted to Camera |
| Camera model, exposure, timestamp | Always recorded | Always recorded |
| Where to view it | Photos app → swipe up / tap Info (i) | Google Photos → three-dot menu / swipe up for details |
| Turn off GPS at capture | Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Camera → Never | Camera app → settings → turn off "Save location" / "Location tags" |
| Remove GPS from an existing photo | Share sheet → Options → Location off | Google Photos → Remove location |
| Strips EXIF automatically on share | No (email, AirDrop, files pass it through) | No (Gmail, Drive, file shares pass it through) |
| Full EXIF strip (every field) | Re-encode with a tool | Re-encode with a tool |
The one-line takeaway: the platform you use barely matters. What matters is whether GPS is turned on at capture, and whether you strip metadata before a photo leaves your phone.
What Each Phone Records by Default
iPhone
With Location Services enabled for the Camera app — the default after setup — every shot carries GPS coordinates accurate to a few meters, plus altitude, the iPhone model, lens identifier, iOS-generated exposure data (aperture, ISO, shutter speed), and a sub-second capture timestamp with time zone. Live Photos and HEIC files carry the same block.
Android
When the Camera app has location permission — commonly granted during setup — Android saves the same essentials: GPS coordinates, phone make and model, exposure settings, and the capture timestamp. The exact field set varies a little by manufacturer (Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi each add their own tags), but the privacy-relevant ones — location, device, time — are consistent across the board.
In other words, there is no "more private" phone here. Both record location and device details unless you have explicitly turned that off. For a field-by-field breakdown of what these tags mean, see what EXIF data is.
How to View Photo Metadata on Your Phone
On iPhone. Open the photo in the Photos app and swipe up, or tap the Info (i)button. You'll see the capture date and time, camera and lens, exposure settings, and — if the photo has GPS — a small map with the location. Tap "Adjust" on that map to change or remove the location.
On Android. Open the photo in Google Photos and tap the three-dot menu, or swipe up, to reveal details. The same information appears: date, camera, exposure, and a map when location is present. Manufacturer galleries (Samsung Gallery, for example) show a similar details panel.
The catch: both phones only surface a curated summary. Fields the phone app chooses not to display — software version, maker notes, sub-second precision, serial identifiers — are still in the file. To see everything a photo carries, regardless of phone, drop it into an EXIF viewer that reads the raw tags.
See every field your phone hides.
Works the same on iPhone and Android — open it in your mobile browser, pick a photo, and read the full EXIF block. Nothing is uploaded; it all runs on your device.
Open the EXIF ViewerHow to Strip EXIF Before Sharing
Both platforms give you a quick way to drop GPS and a slower way to remove everything.
iPhone — quick (GPS only). In Photos, tap Share, then "Options >" at the top of the share sheet, and toggle Location off before you send. Full walkthrough: remove EXIF from iPhone.
Android — quick (GPS only). In Google Photos, open the photo, tap the location row in details, and choose Remove location. There's also a global "Remove geo location in items shared by link" switch. Full walkthrough: remove EXIF from Android.
Either phone — the complete strip. The built-in toggles remove location but often leave camera model, timestamp, and exposure behind. To clear every field, re-encode the photo. Our metadata remover does it in your browser on either platform — pick a photo, download a clean copy, and share that instead. Because it runs locally, nothing you drop in ever leaves your phone.
Related Guides
Remove EXIF From iPhone
Three ways to strip GPS and metadata from iPhone photos before sharing.
Remove EXIF From Android
Google Photos location removal and on-device tools for Android.
What Is EXIF Data?
A field-by-field guide to the metadata your phone stores in every photo.
Photo Privacy Guide
What your photos can reveal and how to share them safely on any device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does iPhone or Android store more EXIF data?
Neither meaningfully more than the other. Both store GPS coordinates, camera model, exposure settings, and a capture timestamp by default when location is enabled. Android manufacturers sometimes add a few extra maker-specific tags, but the privacy-relevant fields — location, device, and time — are the same on both.
How do I check EXIF data on an Android photo?
Open the photo in Google Photos and tap the three-dot menu, or swipe up, to see the details panel with date, camera, and location. To read every field the app doesn't display, open the photo in a browser-based EXIF viewer, which shows the complete raw metadata without uploading the file anywhere.
How do I view photo metadata on an iPhone?
Open the photo in the Photos app and swipe up, or tap the Info (i) button. You'll see the capture time, camera and lens, exposure, and a location map if the photo has GPS. For fields the Photos app hides, use an EXIF viewer that reads the raw tags.
Do iPhone and Android remove EXIF when I share a photo?
Not on their own. Email, AirDrop, direct file shares, Gmail, and Google Drive all pass EXIF through untouched on both platforms. Some social apps like Instagram and Facebook strip it on upload, but you should not rely on that. Remove the metadata yourself before sharing if location matters.
How do I stop my phone from geotagging photos?
On iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Camera, and choose Never. On Android: open the Camera app's settings and turn off "Save location" (sometimes called "Location tags"). Photos already in your library keep their GPS until you strip it.