--- title: "Does Converting HEIC to JPG Remove Metadata? Test Results" description: "Not by itself. We converted a HEIC with GPS to JPG two ways: one kept every field, the other dropped them all. See why the converter decides and how to check." url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/heic-to-jpg-metadata lang: en published: 2026-10-30 updated: 2026-10-30 author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team" publisher: VaultForYou --- # Does converting HEIC to JPG remove metadata? > Converting a photo changes its format. Whether it keeps the location is a separate choice made by the converter you use. Published 2026-10-30 - Updated 2026-10-30 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team ## Quick answer Not necessarily. In our test, the same HEIC with GPS converted to JPG lost all metadata with one method and kept every field, including GPS, with another. The converter and its settings decide. Always inspect the JPG before sharing, or use a tool that re-checks its own output. - **Default Pillow save:** 0 fields kept. GPS gone. - **With EXIF passed through:** All 14 fields kept, including GPS. - **Lesson:** Format conversion is not a privacy tool. - **Check:** Read the output in the free metadata viewer. People convert HEIC to JPG so a photo opens everywhere. Many assume it also cleans the photo. It doesn't have to, and our test shows both outcomes. ## What we tested On 2026-10-30 we took one HEIC file with known metadata (GPS 51.507222, -0.1275, a date taken, camera make and model, an artist name and a serial number; 14 fields in total, confirmed in the [image metadata viewer](/tools/image-metadata-viewer)) and converted it to JPEG in Python with Pillow 12.3.0 and pillow-heif 1.8.1, which decodes HEIC through libheif. | Method | Fields in the JPG | GPS in the JPG | |---|---|---| | Open the HEIC, save as JPEG with default settings | **0** | **No** | | Same, but pass the original EXIF data to the save call | **14** (all) | **Yes**, 51.5072, -0.1275 | We also tried ImageMagick 6.9.12 (`convert`); it couldn't decode this HEIC (unsupported codec), so we have no result for it. **What we did not test:** conversions on an iPhone, in the Files app, in Preview or Photos on a Mac, in third-party apps, or on any online service. We can't tell you what those do, and they may differ between versions. Don't take either of our two results as a rule for them. ## What this tells you The converter decides. A tool built to preserve photo information copies EXIF forward; a bare re-encode doesn't. Both are reasonable behaviors for different jobs, and neither is announced on the button you click. ## How to convert safely 1. Convert the photo however you like. 2. Open the JPG in the [image metadata viewer](/tools/image-metadata-viewer). Look for latitude and longitude. 3. If anything private remains, make a clean copy with the [metadata remover](/tools/remove-photo-metadata), which checks its own output before the download button appears. 4. On iPhone, turn off **Location** in the share options before sending. See [how to remove location from photos](/blog/remove-location-from-photos-iphone). For what a HEIC file itself carries, read [does HEIC contain location metadata?](/blog/heic-location-metadata). > **Keep private photos out of the conversion pile.** An encrypted vault on your iPhone, separate from the Photos library. [Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000) ## Frequently asked questions ### Does HEIC to JPG remove location data? It depends on the converter. Some drop EXIF by default; others copy it into the JPG so your photos stay searchable by place and date. In our test, one conversion method removed all fields and another preserved all of them, including GPS. ### Does the iPhone's Most Compatible export remove metadata? We haven't tested it. Apple documents a Location toggle in the share options, and that is the control for location. Don't assume that choosing a JPEG format removes anything; inspect the result. ### How can I convert HEIC to JPG without keeping GPS? Convert, then verify. Or use the free metadata remover, which re-draws the picture into a new JPEG with no metadata and re-reads the result before offering the download. It needs a browser that can open HEIC, such as Safari. ### Is it safe to use an online HEIC converter? For private photos, prefer a converter that runs on your device. An online converter receives the file, including its metadata. If you do use one, test it with a sample file first. ## Bottom line Converting HEIC to JPG is a format change, not a privacy step. We saw a conversion that erased everything and one that kept everything. Check the file you're about to send. ## Sources - [Apple Support: Share photos and videos on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/share-photos-and-videos-iphf28f17237/ios) - [Apple Support: See photo and video information on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/see-photo-and-video-information-iph0edb9c18f/ios) ## Keep reading - [Does HEIC Contain Location Metadata? GPS Fields Checked](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/heic-location-metadata): Yes: HEIC stores EXIF, including GPS, inside the file. We inspected a real HEIC and list the fields it carries, plus how to read and remove them before sharing. - [How to View EXIF Data on iPhone, and What You Can Remove (2026)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/exif-data-iphone): View EXIF data on iPhone without an app: swipe up on a photo to see camera, date and location. Here's what you can edit or remove and what goes when you share. - [How to Remove Location From Photos on iPhone (2026)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/remove-location-from-photos-iphone): Remove location from photos on iPhone in a few taps: turn off Location in the share sheet, strip it from a photo with Adjust Location and stop Camera saving it. - [How to Find Out Where a Photo Was Taken (2026 Guide)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/find-where-a-photo-was-taken): Find where a photo was taken by reading its GPS data. Learn why location goes missing, and how to keep location-tagged photos out of Photos with a vault. --- Our guides are written and fact-checked by the VaultForYou team against Apple's own documentation. We make VaultForYou, a private vault app for iPhone. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000