Remove Metadata from MP4, MOV, AVI & More

Video files are often the last place people think to check for metadata. Yet every MP4, MOV, or AVI you record carries a layer of hidden information - from the GPS coordinates of where you were standing to the exact make and model of the device that shot it.

Unlike photos, where the EXIF privacy risk is widely understood, video metadata tends to go unnoticed. But the data embedded in a short phone clip can be just as identifying - and just as easy for anyone who receives the file to extract.

What Metadata Do Video Files Contain?

Video metadata is embedded at the container level - in the file's structure, not in the image or audio content. The exact fields depend on the format, but across all common video formats you'll typically find:

Identifying Information

• Creation date and time - when recording started, often down to the millisecond
• Device make and model - the phone or camera that recorded the footage
• Software version - the app or firmware used to record or export the file
• GPS coordinates - latitude, longitude, and sometimes altitude of the recording location

Technical Metadata

• Duration, frame rate, and resolution - the video's technical specs
• Video and audio codec details - codec name, version, and encoding settings used
• Bit rate and colour profile
• Rotation tag - the physical orientation of the device when recording

Editorial and Encoder Tags

• Title, comment, and description - free-text fields often auto-populated by editing software
• Author / Artist - the named creator
• Copyright string
• Encoder tag - the name and version of the software used to export the finished file

How Different Video Formats Store Metadata

Each container format has its own metadata architecture:

MP4 and MOV files recorded on iPhones, Android phones, or dedicated cameras routinely include GPS coordinates when location services are enabled. The QuickTime-style atoms embedded in these files can contain precise latitude and longitude - readable by any metadata tool, no specialist knowledge required.

MKV files often carry a Writing application field naming the software and version used to create or remux the file, alongside a Muxing application field. These can reveal your internal post-production toolchain.

Real Privacy Scenarios

Sharing event footage: An unstripped MP4 from a phone contains the GPS coordinates of where it was filmed and the exact model of the device. For protests, interviews, private gatherings, or any footage where location matters, that metadata travels with every copy.

Distributing edited content: Exporting through a video editor embeds the application name and version in the metadata. For client deliverables or publicly shared content, this can expose internal workflow details you didn't intend to share.

Sending video directly: Platforms like YouTube and Vimeo strip metadata on upload, but that protection doesn't exist when you share files directly - via email, AirDrop, WeTransfer, messaging apps, or any direct file transfer. The recipient gets the file with all metadata intact.

Unreleased material: If you share a rough cut with collaborators before release, the creation timestamp and encoder tag in the file can reveal when the work was done and which tools were used.

How to Remove Metadata from Video Files

PrivMeta - In-Browser, No Upload

PrivMeta uses FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, running entirely inside your browser tab. Your video files never leave your device - nothing is uploaded to any server.

Supported formats: MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WEBM

1. Go to PrivMeta
2. Drop your video files into the dropzone
3. Click Remove metadata
4. Download the cleaned files

PrivMeta strips all metadata streams using -map_metadata -1 and copies the video and audio tracks without re-encoding - so your video quality is preserved exactly. No transcoding, no quality loss, no waiting for a server to process your files.

Command Line (FFmpeg)

For batch processing or scripting:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -map_metadata -1 -c copy output.mp4

The same approach works for other formats - replace the extension accordingly. The -c copy flag copies all streams without re-encoding, making this fast even for large files.

To verify the result:

ffprobe -v quiet -print_format json -show_format output.mp4

An empty or minimal tags object in the output confirms the metadata has been stripped.

ExifTool

ExifTool reads and strips metadata from a wide range of video formats:

exiftool -all= input.mp4

This modifies the file in place and creates a backup by default. ExifTool handles many metadata fields but may not strip all embedded chunks in every container format - FFmpeg's -map_metadata -1 is more thorough for video specifically.

What Remains After Cleaning?

After processing through PrivMeta:

• No GPS coordinates or location data
• No device make or model
• No creation timestamp
• No software or encoder tags
• No author, title, or comment fields

The video content, audio track, resolution, frame rate, chapter markers, and subtitles are preserved exactly as they were.

When to Remove Video Metadata

• Before sharing footage from events, interviews, or locations where GPS is sensitive
• Before delivering video files to clients when encoder or workflow details are confidential
• Before uploading raw footage to shared storage or sending to collaborators
• Before distributing personal videos where device model or timestamp could identify you
• When archiving footage and stripping production metadata before long-term storage

If you also work with audio recordings, see our guide on removing metadata from audio files - MP3, FLAC, WAV, and more, all processed in-browser with no upload required.

Try It Now

Remove metadata from your video files - free, in your browser, no upload required.