Offline metadata removal: what stays on your phone?

Use a local file from start to finish

1. Download the file to local storage before you disconnect. Confirm that you can open it without fetching it from a cloud provider.
2. Open MetaQuiet and use Browse Files to select that local copy.
3. Inspect the supported metadata and choose Create clean copy.
4. Save the result to a local folder and open it to check the content.
5. Share later if your chosen destination needs a connection. Select the clean copy when you do.

This separates the cleaning step from obtaining and distributing the file. A file picker can display cloud documents alongside local files, so a familiar filename in the picker does not necessarily mean the content is already on your phone.

What local processing means

MetaQuiet reads the selected file, removes supported metadata and checks the output locally. It creates a separate copy and leaves the original untouched. There is no upload endpoint for cleaning and no account is required for the core workflow.

A server-based cleaner needs a copy of the file to process it remotely. That creates questions about access, retention and deletion. Local processing avoids that transfer for the cleaning operation, but you still rely on the app, the operating system and the places where you keep your files.

The cleaner described in these guides is the mobile app. metaquiet.com provides product information and guides; it is not a web cleaner. You do not need to submit your file through the website to inspect or clean it.

The photo overview map works offline

When readable GPS coordinates are present, MetaQuiet can show their position on a bundled overview map. This initial view does not request map tiles or send the coordinates to a map provider. The pin represents location stored in the file, not your live position.

Opening the detailed map is a separate choice. Only when you open the Apple Maps or Google Maps view does that provider receive the viewed location or area and network information. The photo is not sent. You can inspect and clean without opening that map.

Saving and sharing cross different boundaries

A clean copy first lives in the app’s temporary storage. Saving exports a copy to the destination you choose. Sharing passes it to your selected app or service, which controls what happens next under its own settings and privacy practices.

A cloud-backed folder or photo library may upload an exported file. A messaging service may process it before delivery. These actions do not turn MetaQuiet’s cleaning into remote processing, but they matter when deciding where the final copy should go.

Recent file records last for the app session. Use Settings > Storage to remove temporary copies after saving anything you need. This does not delete originals or recall files already exported or shared.

Try a practical offline check

Use a non-sensitive supported file that is already local. Turn off network connections, then inspect it, create a copy and save locally. Leave the detailed map closed. This checks the local workflow without depending on a cloud picker or a sharing service.

Offline use has the same format limits: 25 MB per file, 5 MB for PDFs and additional restrictions for some variants. Going online does not enable a server fallback for a rejected file. Local cleaning also leaves visible content and unsupported metadata outside its scope.

Common questions