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Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector View and Strip File Metadata

Extract EXIF GPS coordinates, PDF author data and Office document metadata. Strip sensitive information before sharing. Built by CISSP, ISSAP and ISSMP certified forensic examiners.

Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector is a free Windows desktop tool that extracts and displays hidden metadata from images, PDFs and Office documents. It reveals EXIF GPS coordinates, camera information, author names, edit history and software versions. The stripping function removes all metadata to protect privacy before file sharing.

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Privacy

The Hidden Risks of File Metadata

Every file you create or share carries invisible data that can expose sensitive information. Most users are unaware of what their files reveal to anyone who knows where to look.

EXIF GPS Data in Photos

Smartphone cameras embed GPS coordinates in every photo by default. A single image posted online can reveal your home address, your child's school location or the exact position of a secure facility. Stalkers, burglars and social engineers exploit this data routinely. The SANS Institute documents these risks in their digital forensics curriculum (sans.org).

PDF and Office Document Metadata

Legal documents frequently contain the author's full name, organization, computer username and complete revision history. Law firms have inadvertently disclosed privileged information through document metadata in court filings. The metadata may reveal who drafted a document, how many revisions occurred and what software was used.

Forensic Value of Metadata

In forensic investigations, metadata is evidence. EXIF timestamps establish when a photo was taken. GPS coordinates place a subject at a specific location. Document revision history reveals editing patterns. Camera serial numbers link photos across cases. Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector extracts all of this data for forensic analysis or removes it for privacy protection.

Use Cases

Who Uses Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector

Forensic Analysis

Extract EXIF data from evidence photos to establish location, time and device. Identify camera serial numbers across image sets. Document metadata findings for forensic investigation reports with full chain of custody.

Privacy Protection

Strip GPS coordinates, author names and edit history from files before sharing publicly. Protect personal safety by removing location data from photos posted to social media or sent to untrusted parties.

Legal Document Review

Inspect court filings and legal documents for unintended metadata exposure. Identify author information, revision counts and hidden comments before submission. Prevent privileged information leaks through document properties.

OSINT Investigations

Extract metadata from publicly available images and documents during open source intelligence gathering. Camera serial numbers, GPS coordinates and timestamps provide investigative leads that are invisible to casual observers.

Corporate Compliance

Enforce metadata stripping policies before external document distribution. Prevent employee names, internal network paths and software versions from leaking through shared files. Audit documents for compliance with data protection regulations.

Journalism

Strip metadata from source documents and whistleblower materials to protect identities. Verify the authenticity of submitted photos by examining EXIF data for consistency with claimed circumstances.

Features

Metadata Inspector Capabilities

EXIF Data Extraction: Full EXIF data display for JPEG, PNG, TIFF and RAW images. GPS coordinates with map reference, camera make and model, lens data, exposure settings, timestamps and camera serial numbers.
PDF Metadata Analysis: Extract author, title, subject, keywords, creation date, modification date, creator application and PDF producer. XMP metadata parsing for extended document properties.
Office Document Inspection: Read metadata from DOCX, XLSX and PPTX files including author, last modified by, revision count, total editing time, company name and template information.
Metadata Stripping: Remove all metadata from supported file types. Creates a clean copy with the original file preserved. Verify stripping by re-inspecting the output file.
Batch Processing: Process entire directories of files. View metadata summaries across hundreds of files. Export findings to CSV for forensic documentation.
GPS Coordinate Display: Display GPS coordinates in decimal degrees and degrees-minutes-seconds formats. Copy coordinates for direct use in mapping applications.

Download

Get Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector

Version 0.1.4 for Windows 10/11 (64-bit). Single executable with no dependencies.

File: sherlock-metadata-inspector.exe
SHA256: 3c50a0905ec3a9596176dba7a32baba68b2f493372d1d4f69c53fafd478c2726
Version: 0.1.4
Platform: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)

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Questions

Metadata Inspector FAQ

What is file metadata?

File metadata is information embedded within a file that describes its properties beyond the visible content. Photos contain EXIF data including camera model, GPS coordinates and timestamps. PDFs embed author name, software version and edit history. Office documents store author, organization, revision count and total editing time.

Can photos reveal my location?

Yes. Most smartphone cameras embed GPS coordinates in photo EXIF data by default. These coordinates pinpoint exactly where the photo was taken. Sharing photos online without stripping EXIF data can reveal your home address, workplace or other sensitive locations. Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector displays and strips GPS data before sharing.

What metadata do PDF files contain?

PDF files typically contain author name, creation software, creation date, modification date, title, subject and keywords. Some PDFs retain the full edit history and the username of the computer that created them. Legal documents and court filings frequently contain unintended metadata that reveals drafting details.

Is Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector free?

Yes. Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector is completely free with no trial period and no feature restrictions. Both viewing and stripping metadata are available at no cost for all supported file types.

What file types are supported?

Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector supports JPEG, PNG, TIFF and RAW image formats with full EXIF data extraction. PDF metadata including XMP and document properties. Microsoft Office formats including DOCX, XLSX and PPTX with author, revision and editing time data.

Does stripping metadata modify the original file?

Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector creates a clean copy with metadata removed. The original file is preserved unchanged. For forensic work, always hash the original before any processing to maintain chain of custody.

Is there a web-based version?

Yes. Sherlock Forensics offers a browser-based metadata viewer at sherlockforensics.com/pages/metadata-viewer.html that extracts EXIF data entirely in your browser with no file uploads. The desktop version adds metadata stripping, batch processing and support for PDF and Office formats.

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Inspect and Protect Your File Metadata

Free metadata viewer and stripper for forensic professionals, privacy-conscious users and legal teams. Built by the same team that delivers expert witness testimony in Canadian courts.

Since 2006CISSP, ISSAP, ISSMP certified604.229.1994

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Sherlock Forensics Metadata Inspector is provided for lawful use. Terms of Service