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EraseAILabel vs ExifCleaner: Which Should You Use?

Both tools keep your files on your own device. ExifCleaner is a desktop app that handles many more file types, while EraseAILabel runs in a browser with nothing to install.

Published by Harsh Raj · Last reviewed November 2026

At a glance

How ExifCleaner works

ExifCleaner's project page describes a desktop app built on ExifTool. You drag files or folders onto it and it cleans them in a batch. It has options to preserve orientation, save a copy, and keep timestamps. The project says the app makes no network requests and includes no telemetry, which is a strong privacy position.

Its README is also candid about limits. It says PDF metadata can't be securely erased because ExifTool writes a reversible update, that some formats are refused or only partly cleaned, and that removing all metadata from RAW files isn't recommended. Those are limits of the method, honestly stated, and worth knowing before you rely on any tool.

How EraseAILabel works

EraseAILabel draws the picture into a new file. Because it doesn't edit the original, it doesn't need to know every field that might exist, and records such as embedded thumbnails or unusual blocks aren't carried across. The trade-off is that JPG and WebP are re-encoded, which can change them very slightly. PNG stays lossless. After cleaning, the tool scans the new copy and reports anything it recognizes.

Choose ExifCleaner if

• You clean whole folders on a computer regularly.
• You need RAW, video, or other formats beyond still images.
• You prefer an open-source app that you install and control.

Choose EraseAILabel if

• You're on a phone, or a computer where you can't install software.
• You want to see what a file holds before cleaning it, including AI records.
• You're dealing with an AI label and want to know what a file declares.
• You have a handful of photos, and want a quick result.

Check whichever you choose

No tool is perfect for every file. Clean a test image, then scan the result with a different tool, such as our checker. Our guide to testing a tool explains how. We build EraseAILabel, so weigh this page with that in mind, and tell us if anything here is out of date.

Installing an unsigned app safely

ExifCleaner's builds aren't code-signed, so macOS and Windows warn you on first launch. Its README explains how to proceed and recommends checking SHA-256 checksums. Download only from the official GitHub releases page, and compare the checksum before running it. That's good practice for any app that shows this warning.

File types each one handles

• Both: JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, and AVIF images.
• ExifCleaner only: RAW camera files, common video formats, GIF, TIFF, and PDF, with the limits its README describes.
• EraseAILabel only: a plain-language scan of what each file holds, including AI records, before you clean.

Written by Harsh Raj

A tech enthusiast who builds and tests EraseAILabel's tools. How we test

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