Guide
PNG metadata explained
PNG is a lossless format used for screenshots, graphics and web images. It stores metadata in named chunks, and while PNGs usually carry less than JPEGs, they can still hold camera data, text, colour profiles and provenance.
How to use it
- 1Add the PNG to a scanner and read the report.
- 2Look for EXIF, XMP, text, ICC, time or C2PA indicators.
- 3Rebuild the image to export a fresh PNG without those chunks.
- 4Re-scan the output to confirm the result.
Where PNG metadata lives
A PNG is a sequence of chunks, and metadata sits in the ancillary chunks around the image data.
| Chunk | Typical content |
|---|---|
| eXIf | EXIF camera and GPS data |
| iTXt / tEXt / zTXt | Text, XMP, comments |
| iCCP | ICC colour profile |
| tIME | Last modification date |
| caBX | C2PA / JUMBF provenance |
What a PNG can reveal
Screenshots often carry software and device fields, and edited PNGs can hold XMP history and a colour profile. AI tools that export PNG may write C2PA or workflow text into the file.
Lossless by nature
PNG is lossless, so rebuilding a PNG can keep quality intact while dropping the metadata chunks. That makes PNG a good choice when quality matters more than file size.
How to remove PNG metadata
Rebuilding the image from pixels produces a new PNG with no ancillary metadata chunks. MetaRase does this locally and re-scans the output to confirm the supported indicators are gone.
What stays in the picture
Visible content and any text drawn into the image remain; only the file's metadata chunks are removed.
Frequently asked questions
Do PNGs have EXIF?
They can, in an eXIf chunk, though it is less common than in JPEG.
Will removing metadata keep PNG lossless?
Yes. A rebuilt PNG is still lossless; only the metadata chunks are dropped.
Does a screenshot have metadata?
It can carry software and device fields, and sometimes a colour profile, even without GPS.
Is the colour profile removed too?
Yes. The ICC profile travels in the iCCP chunk and is dropped when the image is rebuilt.
Can PNG carry C2PA?
Yes, in a caBX chunk, which some AI and publishing tools write.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser.
Sources
Inspect, clean, and verify in your browser
Your image bytes never leave your device. MetaRase rebuilds the image locally, then scans the output again before you download it.
Open the cleanerRelated pages
Results describe supported embedded indicators only and cannot guarantee how a platform will classify an image.