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Delete Image Metadata

Remove Metadata From WebP Images

WebP only carries metadata in its extended container form. Here is how that works, and why removing a chunk means rewriting a header flag as well.

  • .webp
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0
Files uploaded — processing is local
WEBP
Lossless — pixels never re-encoded
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Simple WebP versus extended WebP

A WebP file is a RIFF container: the ASCII tag 'RIFF', a four-byte little-endian size, the tag 'WEBP', and then a list of named chunks. In its simple form the file contains exactly one image chunk — VP8 for lossy, VP8L for lossless — and nothing else. A simple WebP has nowhere to put metadata, so there is genuinely nothing to remove.

As soon as a file needs an alpha channel, an ICC profile, animation, EXIF or XMP, it is promoted to the extended form. That adds a VP8X chunk at the front whose first byte is a set of flags declaring which optional chunks follow. This is why running a WebP through the tool sometimes reports zero metadata blocks and sometimes reports several: the two files are structurally different.

  • VP8X — the extended header: flag byte plus the canvas width and height
  • ICCP — the colour profile, announced by flag 0x20
  • ALPH — the alpha channel, announced by flag 0x10
  • EXIF — camera metadata, announced by flag 0x08
  • XMP — the XMP packet, announced by flag 0x04
  • ANIM and ANMF — animation control and frames, announced by flag 0x02

Removing a chunk means updating two other things

Dropping the EXIF chunk from a WebP is not enough on its own. The VP8X flag byte still announces that EXIF is present, and the RIFF size field at the front of the file still describes the old length. A file in that state is malformed: strict decoders may reject it, and lenient ones may report metadata that is not there.

The tool handles both. When a chunk is removed, the corresponding flag bit is cleared and the RIFF size is recalculated to match the new payload. The verification pass then re-reads the result to confirm the file is consistent.

Where WebP metadata comes from

Most WebP files on the web were converted from something else, and conversion tools vary in what they carry across. cwebp preserves metadata only when asked with its -metadata option. Export from Photoshop or a CMS image pipeline usually keeps the ICC profile and may keep XMP. Phone screenshots saved as WebP typically carry little.

The upshot is that WebP metadata is usually inherited rather than original — most often an EXIF block that came along from a JPEG earlier in the chain, GPS coordinates included.

What this tool does

  • Removes EXIF and XMP chunks and clears the matching VP8X flags
  • Rewrites the RIFF size field so the file stays structurally valid
  • Lossy and lossless WebP, animated or not, are all handled without re-encoding

What it does not do

  • The ICCP colour profile chunk is kept by default
  • A simple (non-VP8X) WebP has no metadata to remove — the tool will say so

Remove Metadata From WebP Images

WebP only carries metadata in its extended container form. Here is how that works, and why removing a chunk means rewriting a header flag as well.

Open the tool

Reviewed and updated . Behaviour described on this page is covered by the project’s automated tests.

Frequently asked questions

Can WebP images contain GPS data?

Yes, in an EXIF chunk, usually inherited from the JPEG the file was converted from. It reads exactly like a photo's GPS tags.

My WebP shows no metadata. Is the tool working?

Almost certainly yes. A simple WebP with no VP8X header cannot store metadata at all, so an empty report is the correct answer rather than a failure.

Does converting to WebP remove metadata?

It depends on the converter. Many drop metadata by default, but several preserve EXIF and XMP, and some carry an ICC profile across regardless. Checking the result is more reliable than assuming.

Does removing metadata re-compress a WebP?

No. The VP8 or VP8L image chunk is copied through untouched, so quality is unchanged for both lossy and lossless files.

How do I tell whether my WebP is the simple or extended form?

Load it here: an extended file reports a VP8X header and its chunks, while a simple one reports no metadata blocks at all.

Does the tool support animated WebP?

Yes. Animation chunks are image data and are preserved; only EXIF and XMP are removed.

Is lossless WebP handled differently from lossy?

No. Both store their image data in a single chunk that is copied through untouched, so neither is re-encoded.

Why is WebP metadata usually inherited?

Because most WebP files were converted from JPEG or PNG, and several converters carry the original's EXIF block across.

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