HEIC and AVIF are modern image formats with efficient compression and support for richer image features. They also use a more complex container model than a basic JPEG.

That complexity matters for metadata.

A HEIC or AVIF file can associate image items with Exif, XMP-like information, color properties, orientation, and other data. Some files can contain multiple images or related resources.

If you want to remove privacy-sensitive information without changing the image unnecessarily, the cleaner needs to understand the container rather than treating the file like a bag of JPEG tags.

HEIC, HEIF and AVIF: the relationship

HEIF is the High Efficiency Image File Format container family.

HEIC is a common filename extension associated with HEIF images using HEVC compression, particularly in Apple workflows.

AVIF is the AV1 Image File Format. The Alliance for Open Media defines AVIF as a HEIF-conformant format that stores AV1-compressed images in the container.

The formats therefore share important container concepts even though they use different image compression technologies.

Metadata in HEIF

Apple's technical introduction to HEIF explains that the container can include metadata items such as Exif, XMP, and MPEG-7 metadata, with relationships connecting items and properties.

For a privacy-oriented user, Exif and XMP are especially relevant.

Exif may include:

  • device information;
  • capture time;
  • camera settings;
  • orientation;
  • GPS coordinates.

XMP may include:

  • creator and rights information;
  • descriptions;
  • editing software;
  • workflow metadata;
  • application-specific fields.

HEIC from an iPhone can contain location

Apple's privacy guidance makes the location issue explicit. Photos and videos can include location metadata when the Camera app has access to Location Services, and Apple provides controls to remove or withhold that location.

A HEIC photo from an iPhone can therefore contain location information just as a JPEG can.

Do not assume “modern format” means “privacy-sanitized.”

AVIF metadata

AVIF is built on the HEIF container model.

That means metadata can be represented through the container's item and property mechanisms rather than JPEG APP segments.

The practical metadata categories users may encounter include:

  • Exif;
  • XMP or MIME-associated metadata where supported by tools;
  • ICC profiles or other color information;
  • orientation and transformation properties;
  • provenance data in compatible workflows.

Software support varies, so a viewer should state what it can parse rather than imply that an empty panel means the file contains no optional data of any kind.

Why HEIC and AVIF are harder to clean safely

JPEG metadata cleaning can often be described as removing selected marker segments.

HEIF-based formats are more relational. Image items, metadata items, item properties and references can be connected through the container.

A careless implementation can:

  • break item references;
  • remove required properties;
  • lose orientation;
  • damage HDR or color behavior;
  • drop auxiliary images;
  • flatten multi-image content;
  • convert the file to another format without disclosure.

That is why “we support HEIC” should mean the application has been tested with real HEIC structures, not simply that it can decode a preview.

Live Photos and multi-image content

An Apple Live Photo is not merely “a HEIC with metadata.” It involves associated photo and motion content managed by the Apple ecosystem.

HEIF itself can also contain multiple image items or auxiliary imagery.

A metadata cleaner should not claim to preserve every multi-item relationship unless that behavior is implemented and tested.

For a basic still-image tool, the safest behavior is to detect unsupported complex cases and explain them.

HDR and color information

HEIC and AVIF are often used for higher bit depth, wide color, or HDR-related workflows.

Color and HDR properties are not the same as personal metadata.

Removing them to “clean everything” can materially change the way the image renders. A privacy cleaner should preserve necessary color and image properties unless the user explicitly chooses a conversion.

This is another reason not to use a blanket strategy of deleting every optional box or item.

Does converting HEIC to JPEG remove metadata?

It can, but not reliably as a rule.

A converter can choose to:

  • preserve Exif;
  • preserve only some fields;
  • omit all metadata;
  • add new software metadata;
  • change orientation handling;
  • alter color and quality.

The conversion also changes the image encoding.

If your goal is privacy, inspect the JPEG output. If your goal is only metadata removal, prefer direct HEIC cleaning when the tool supports it.

Does converting AVIF to PNG remove metadata?

The same caution applies.

A fresh PNG export may omit AVIF metadata, but the exporting software can write new PNG text, XMP, Exif, or color metadata.

Conversion is not a guarantee. Verification is.

How to inspect HEIC metadata on Apple devices

Apple Photos can show media information, including capture-related data.

For location specifically, Apple lets users adjust the photo's location and choose No Location, and it can withhold location during sharing from Photos.

On macOS, Preview can display general image information, and it can show location information when GPS is present.

Those built-in tools are useful for review, but a dedicated metadata viewer can expose additional Exif or XMP fields.

How to clean HEIC or AVIF without unnecessary quality loss

The preferred workflow is:

  1. parse the original container;
  2. identify supported privacy metadata;
  3. preserve image data and essential properties;
  4. remove selected Exif/XMP or textual metadata associations;
  5. update container structures correctly;
  6. validate the output;
  7. decode the result to confirm it displays properly;
  8. re-scan metadata.

If the browser or library cannot do that reliably, the tool should stop rather than silently convert.

What about C2PA?

The Content Authenticity Initiative's Verify service lists both AVIF and HEIC/HEIF among supported formats for Content Credentials inspection.

That means a modern file may carry provenance information in addition to ordinary Exif or XMP.

If a cleaning operation affects a credential, users should be warned.

Privacy fields worth checking

For HEIC and AVIF, prioritize:

  • GPS coordinates;
  • capture date/time;
  • device make/model;
  • software and workflow information;
  • creator/contact details;
  • descriptive locations;
  • embedded or associated provenance;
  • unknown application-specific metadata.

Preserve color and image properties unless you understand the consequence of removing them.

Conclusion

HEIC and AVIF can carry the same kinds of privacy-relevant information people know from JPEG, but their container structure is more complex.

The safe approach is not to convert blindly or delete unknown boxes. Use a format-aware parser, preserve image and color properties, clean selected metadata, and verify the result.

Modern compression deserves modern metadata handling.

Helpful answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is HEIF the same as HEIC?

HEIF is the broader container format. HEIC is a common file extension for HEIF imagery that typically uses HEVC compression in Apple ecosystems.

Can AVIF contain GPS even if it came from a web export?

It can if the export workflow preserved Exif or another location-bearing metadata structure. Many web exports omit it, but inspect the actual file.

Does HEIC metadata include Apple Photos library data such as face recognition?

Not every piece of information maintained by the Photos library is necessarily embedded in the exported HEIC file. File metadata and cloud/library database information are separate layers.

Is it safe to remove every unknown HEIF property?

No. Unknown properties may be necessary for correct rendering or relationships between image items. Only remove structures the parser understands as optional metadata.