How to Remove Hidden Data & Metadata from PNG Files


PNG image files can contain a wealth of hidden data & metadata. While hidden data & metadata are useful for finding files, they pose privacy and confidentiality risks when the files are shared. The hidden data often contains private and sensitive information, that if unintentionally exposed can cause the file creator and his organization embarrassment with possible financial and legal implications.

PNG metadata could be in the form of textual metadata, XMP, Exif data (including thumbnail and geotag), and C2PA Metadata. A PNG file can have any number of hidden data & metadata types embedded alongside each other.

The Windows' built-in metadata remover is not suitable for removing PNG metadata. A reliable third-party tool is necessary. BatchPurifier™ is one such tool.

The "Remove Properties and Personal Information" feature is not suitable

Windows® 11 has a very limited built-in metadata remover - the "Remove Properties and Personal Information" feature. This feature is completely unsuitable for removing hidden data from PNG files. From PNG files, it can only remove the "Date taken" property. This feature cannot remove at all other metadata elements that PNG files may contain, such as creator, title, description, location, modified data.

The "Date taken" property is also all that the Windows File Properties Viewer can show, and therefore one should not rely on this viewer to asses the risk involved in sharing PNG files, and should clean every file before sharing it with others using a reliable hidden data & metadata remover that supports PNG.

Removing hidden data & metadata from multiple PNG files at once

BatchPurifier™ can permanently remove hidden data & metadata from multiple files in batch. It supports multiple types of document, image, and media file formats, including PNG files. From PNG files, it can selectively remove textual metadata (including XMP), Exif data (including thumbnail and geotag), and C2PA Metadata. Its Professional Edition can optionally selectively preserve some XMP metadata elements. (e.g. Title, Keywords, Description)

BatchPurifier™ is an offline privacy-oriented desktop application for Windows®, that has a graphical user interface, (GUI) and supports the removal of more than 60 types of hidden data & metadata from various types of image, video, audio, and document files.

Using BatchPurifier to Remove Hidden Data and Metadata from PNG Files

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