Gallerin guide

Check photo location data before sharing

A photo can include both a visible scene and information such as where it was taken. Check those separately.

Visible details and file metadata are different

A street sign, delivery label or vehicle plate may be visible in the image. Separately, file metadata can include coordinates or the time a photo was taken. Removing a location field does not hide an address in the pixels, and masking an address does not necessarily remove location metadata.

Unreadable does not mean absent

Limited permission or an unsupported format can prevent an app from reading information. That differs from checking and finding no location field. Review the information your photo app can show, but do not assume every metadata field has been removed just because it is not displayed.

Work on a copy

Keeping the original makes mistakes easier to recover from. Use an opaque mask for sensitive text, and exclude unneeded location data when creating the copy. Blur and mosaic effects do not always hide information or prevent recovery.

Check the actual output

Look at the exported image to confirm the masks are applied and verify that your selected metadata exclusions are reflected in the file. Gallerin is being built to stop processed-copy sharing when output verification fails, without silently switching to the original. Supported operations depend on the format and device.

Check the recipient and sharing route

Make sure another app has not selected the original again, and confirm the recipient. Even a processed copy can reveal a location through its background. Files saved by recipients and processing by other apps cannot be controlled remotely.

For your library, try reviewing photos one month at a time.