iPhone Do photos sent in iMessage automatically include location when sending to someone? If so, how do I turn it off?

[HappyDude20]

I just took a photo of my kid at their school and sent it to a friend, but admittedly don’t want my friend who lives outta state to have the location of the photo I just.

I’m attaching a photo showing the options I see when I’m sending a photo THROUGH the photos app, which states location is being shared. Is it safe to assume that location is also being shared with the photos I’m sending directly through the photos tab in iMessage?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Settings > Privacy > Location Services < Camera (toggled off)

That won’t do anything for pictures already sent but, it will moving forward.

 

[0128672]

I just tested this with a couple of photos sent to myself from Photos to Messages with Location enabled. From Messages I saved them to the Files app, and in Files right clicked > Info and was able to view the latitude and longitude of the location.

 

[HappyDude20]

Settings > Privacy > Location Services < Camera (toggled off)

That won’t do anything for pictures already sent but, it will moving forward.

This is a solution, however I do like that my photos do save the location of where I took them, FOR ME.

I just don't want others to know of my photos location when I send them.

Seems like a pain if I have to always send photos via text message through the photos app just so I can tap the location off every time I send a photo.

 

[EM2013]

This is a solution, however I do like that my photos do save the location of where I took them, FOR ME.

I just don't want others to know of my photos location when I send them.

Seems like a pain if I have to always send photos via text message through the photos app just so I can tap the location off every time I send a photo.

You would have to edit the photo with an app.

 

[HappyDude20]

I find it hard to believe that this feature can’t be turned off. What about high ranking government officials sending photos and its turns out they’ve been exposing their private locations all this time?

Shame on Apple for not allowing us to turn this off if that is the case.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I find it hard to believe that this feature can’t be turned off. What about high ranking government officials sending photos and its turns out they’ve been exposing their private locations all this time?

Shame on Apple for not allowing us to turn this off if that is the case.

Turn off the setting prior to taking a picture, and turn it back on afterward. You could also leave it off permanently. Those are your choices.

 

[I7guy]

I find it hard to believe that this feature can’t be turned off. What about high ranking government officials sending photos and its turns out they’ve been exposing their private locations all this time?

Shame on Apple for not allowing us to turn this off if that is the case.

This is a guess. Government officials would have their "work" phones controlled by an MDM in which this setting would be off. It can't be both ways for personal use. Either gps data is saved with the photo or it isn't. To remove gps data you have to edit the photo.

Of course, Apple hypothetically could have an option when sending the photo, but that can become monotonous especially if there are some you want gps for and some you don't. So it's a double-edged sword.

 

[mikzn]

Is it safe to assume that location is also being shared with the photos I’m sending directly through the photos tab in iMessage?

you can always take a screen shot and send the screen shot - easy and quick to do ?

- press home plus side button - AFAIK - there is no meta data info on screen shots

 

[HappyDude20]

you can always take a screen shot and send the screen shot - easy and quick to do ?

- press home plus side button - AFAIK - there is no meta data info on screen shots

This seems like the way to go.

 

[minimo3]

I created a iOS shortcut to do just that. Basically it strips the EXIF. Create a new shortcut with these steps:

Make sure to uncheck “preserve metadata”. In my case I save the image to iCloud Drive but you could change that.
Unlike taking a screenshot this will maintain the original image resolution

 

[cynics]

Just to reiterate, if you share from the Photos app. At the top of the share window (you see 'Options') if the photo is going to include location data it will be in there under the Location Toggle.

To me this is odd because that setting isn't persistent. You would have to do that for every photo you send, and I can only find that when sharing from Photos..I can't find it in the message app. Even odder is if you click iCloud Link the Location toggle grays out so you will have to send it.

On MacOS the photo app has a universal persistent setting. It pretty much prevents you from getting the location metadata outside of the photo app which is precisely the way I would want it.

Its not just location data either the iPhone is using all its sensors so it is more aware of the location and its surrounding conditions then you probably are...speed, bearing w/ reference , altitude, etc..

There is even a nice little option to "Show in Maps" to make it easy for you to start you murder spree asap.

Now for me its not a HUGE deal because I dont consult with people that I wouldn't want to know my location nor do I take pictures at locations I wouldn't want people to know I'm there mostly though I just don't care. Also this data is only sent to people you have in your contacts via iMessage, AirDrop or Email as social media sites like Facebook and instagram remove that data.

Regardless my mind always goes to worst case scenarios like creeps finding where a young lady works/lives or whatever. Ironic to be the author of your own tragedy.

 

[Morgenland]

I find it hard to believe that this feature can’t be turned off. What about high ranking government officials sending photos and its turns out they’ve been exposing their private locations all this time?

Shame on Apple for not allowing us to turn this off if that is the case.

screenshot your photo, then send it and stop crying, it's EXIF contains only the source (your name and hardware), this is what the US government insisted on

 

[cynics]

screenshot your photo, then send it and stop crying, it's EXIF contains only the source (your name and hardware), this is what the US government insisted on

The government insist on Exif data from PNG files (screenshots)?

While that is a solution its kind of low quality solution (taking a picture of a picture). Also its inefficient since the PNG is lossless the screenshot is generally larger in file size than the original HEIC.

You shouldn't even need to worry about your name and/or hardware anyway. PNG doesn't directly support Exif. It can use ancillary chuck label (eXif) which supported software can see. From an iPhone it will just contain image information and maybe a date that looks like this....

Exif as the name applies (Exchangeable image format) is a standard used to tell users and software outside the capture software/hardware details of the photo. When missing or not handled properly you get something I think we've all dealt with at one point with upside down images on the receiving ends of emails. If the data is there images viewers usually automatically correct, editors ask...

3rd party cameras are a bit easier to manage if its that big of a concern. This is Halide which makes it easier to turn off embedding location data in images and turn it off when sharing so it doesn't rely on social media sites to do it...

 

[xxanderxu]

screenshot your photo, then send it and stop crying, it's EXIF contains only the source (your name and hardware), this is what the US government insisted on

Screenshooting is not an equivalent solution, and there are less difficult ways (like the sharing menu options) to achieve the same thing. It’s not unreasonable to ask if there is a more persistent solution. I’ll never understand people who build their online identity on simping for a trillion dollar company (poorly, as the case may be).