Geotagging
Also known as: geotag, location metadata, GPS metadata, photo location data
Geotagging embeds the GPS coordinates where a photo or video was taken into the file’s metadata. It powers map and place features but is also a privacy consideration, since the location travels with the file when you share it.
- Embeds GPS coordinates in photo metadata
- Adds negligible size; it is a privacy concern, not a storage one
- Can be stripped before sharing on iOS and Android
How location is stored
When location access is on, your camera writes the GPS coordinates into each photo’s metadata, alongside the date, camera model, and settings. This is what lets the Photos app sort your library by place and show shots on a map.
Geotags are metadata, so they add only a tiny amount to a file’s size — the photo itself is far larger. The concern is less about storage and more about who can read that location later.
Privacy and removing location
Because the coordinates travel inside the file, sharing a photo can reveal where it was taken. On iOS you can strip location when sharing via the Options toggle in the share sheet, or turn off camera location under Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Camera.
On Android, location capture is toggled in the camera app’s settings, and many gallery and file tools can remove the GPS tag before you share. Stripping location does not change the image itself, only its embedded metadata.