How to remove personal information from files on Windows 11
Here are two ways to strip out metadata and other properties from files on Windows 11.
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OnWindows 11, every time you create a file (document, video, image, etc.), in addition to the created content, the file also embeds some personal information (author, comments, dates, GPS, etc.) and other data known as metadata, which sometimes might be data you don’t want to share with other people, especially on the internet.
If you have to share specific files with other people, removing any personal information is always recommended. On Windows 11, you can clear most metadata information fromFile Explorer. However, if you have Office documents, you can use those apps to remove even more data from those file formats.
Thisguidewill walk you through the steps to clear out any personal information embedded in the metadata of a file on Windows 11.
How to remove metadata from files on Windows 11
To remove personal metadata information for a file before sharing, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the metadata information will be deleted from the file.
How to remove metadata from Office files on Windows 11
Although the above steps remove the metadata from the file, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint may include other data, such as add-ins, macros, XML, hidden text, revisions, and more. If you want to remove every piece of extra data from these files, you will need to use the Office apps.
To delete personal data and other properties from a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file, use these steps:
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After you complete the steps, the Office document will be free of personal information.
More resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
