How to Strip EXIF Metadata from Images in Python

from PIL import Image
from PIL.ExifTags import TAGS
from io import BytesIO
import struct

def strip_exif(image_bytes, remove_metadata=True):
    """Remove EXIF metadata from image bytes."""
    img = Image.open(BytesIO(image_bytes))
    if remove_metadata:
        # Clear all metadata
        img.info.clear()
    # Save without EXIF
    output = BytesIO()
    img.save(output, format=img.format)
    output.seek(0)
    return output.read()

def create_mock_image_with_exif():
    """Create a small mock JPEG with EXIF data for testing."""
    img = Image.new('RGB', (10, 10), color='red')
    exif = {
        'Make': 'TestCamera',
        'Model': 'MockModel',
        'Software': 'TestScript',
    }
    exif_bytes = img.info.get('exif', b'')
    if not exif_bytes:
        exif_bytes = b''
        # Construct minimal EXIF block
        exif_bytes = b'Exif\x00\x00MM\x00*' + bytes(16) + b''
    img.save(BytesIO(), format='JPEG', exif=exif_bytes)
    # Actually store EXIF properly
    buffer = BytesIO()
    img.save(buffer, format='JPEG', exif=create_exif_block())
    buffer.seek(0)
    return buffer.read()

def create_exif_block():
    """Build minimal EXIF block with a couple of tags."""
    ifd = bytearray(8)  # IFD header
    ifd = bytearray()
    # Build minimal EXIF with just essential bytes
    return b'Exif\x00\x00MM\x00*' + bytes(8)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    mock_image = create_mock_image_with_exif()
    cleaned = strip_exif(mock_image)
    print(f"Original size: {len(mock_image)} bytes")
    print(f"Cleaned size: {len(cleaned)} bytes")
    print("Metadata stripped successfully")