Lightroom has a Metadata section in its Export dialog, and most photographers trust it to keep private details out of what they deliver. For JPEGs, it works well. For RAW files sent to clients, second shooters or agencies, it's a different story. Here's what each setting does, and how to deliver RAW files without your serials and location.

The Metadata options in Lightroom Classic's Export dialog

Under Metadata → Include, you choose one of:

  • Copyright Only: just your copyright notice.
  • Copyright & Contact Info Only: copyright plus your contact details from the IPTC fields.
  • All Except Camera & Camera Raw Info: your IPTC and keywords, without the camera's EXIF (camera, lens, settings, serials) and without your Lightroom edit settings.
  • All Metadata: everything.

And two ticks:

  • Remove Person Info: people's names from face tagging.
  • Remove Location Info: GPS and location fields.

For JPEG, TIFF and other finished files: this works

When Lightroom renders a new JPEG or TIFF, it writes a fresh file with only the metadata you chose. Copyright Only leaves out the camera serial, lens serial, GPS, capture settings and maker notes. For photos you post online or deliver to clients as finished images, it's a good default.

Two notes:

  • Copyright Only still includes your name, if it's in your copyright notice. That's usually what you want.
  • The capture date may still be written depending on your version and settings. Check an export with a metadata viewer to see exactly what yours keeps.

For RAW files: it depends on the format you export

Exporting as "Original"

When the image format is set to Original, Lightroom copies your RAW file as it is. The metadata settings can't clean the file's embedded EXIF and maker notes, because Lightroom doesn't rewrite the RAW. The body serial, lens serial, owner name, capture time and anything else the camera wrote go out with it. If you've added GPS in Lightroom, check whether it lands in an XMP sidecar next to the file.

Exporting as DNG

A DNG export writes a new file, so the metadata settings do apply to the fields Lightroom manages. But a DNG also carries over camera data that Lightroom treats as part of the image, and it adds its own details, including an ID that links the DNG back to the original. What survives depends on your camera and version, so check the result instead of assuming it's clean.

The bottom line

Lightroom's metadata options are designed for rendered files. For RAW deliveries, check the file, and clean it with a tool built for RAW if it isn't clean.

How to check an export

  • Our RAW metadata page reads a RAW or DNG in your browser when you're signed out, without uploading it, and lists GPS, dates, owner name, copyright, serial numbers, software and XMP.
  • ExifTool: exiftool -a -G1 -s file.NEF | grep -i serial shows every serial field, including those inside the maker notes.

How to clean a RAW safely

Don't run a blunt "remove all" on a RAW. We tested exiftool -all= on a DNG: it shrank from 35.7MB to 14.5MB and changed how the photo looked, because the editor's data went with the metadata.

Our RAW metadata remover removes personal details field by field: GPS, owner, artist and copyright name, body and lens serials, internal serials in the maker notes, shutter and image counts, unique image IDs, software, dates and XMP and IPTC data. It keeps the camera make, model and lens model, which editors need for colour profiles and lens corrections. Then it checks the result: the sensor data and the camera's white balance must match the original exactly.

One exception: Nikon NEF files keep their maker-note serial and shutter count. Nikon uses them to decrypt the colour data, and removing them ruins the white balance. The standard EXIF serial is still removed. If a client must have no serial at all, send a TIFF or JPEG exported with Copyright Only instead.

Supported: Canon CR2 and CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Panasonic RW2 and DNG. Free accounts get 3 cleans a month; Pro gets 100, in batches of up to 10 files.

A delivery routine

  1. Finished photos: export JPEG or TIFF with Copyright Only and Remove Location Info.
  2. RAW files: export as Original or DNG, then clean them with a RAW-safe tool.
  3. Spot-check one file from every delivery with a metadata viewer.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove metadata in Lightroom?

In the Export dialog, set Metadata to Copyright Only (or All Except Camera & Camera Raw Info), and tick Remove Location Info and Remove Person Info. This works for exported JPEG and TIFF files.

Does Lightroom remove the camera serial number on export?

For JPEG or TIFF exports with Copyright Only or All Except Camera & Camera Raw Info, yes. When exporting RAW files as Original, the camera's own data stays in the file, including serials.

What is the difference between "All Metadata" and "Copyright Only"?

All Metadata includes everything: camera settings, serials, location, keywords and your contact details. Copyright Only includes just your copyright notice.

Does exporting to DNG remove metadata?

Only partly. The metadata settings apply to what Lightroom manages, but a DNG keeps camera data from the original and adds an ID that links to it. Check the result.

Can I remove metadata from RAW files without changing the photo?

Yes, with a field-by-field clean. Our RAW cleaner checks that the sensor data and white balance are identical before and after.