What Content Credentials contain
Content Credentials are the consumer name for the C2PA standard. A signed manifest travels inside the image: in JPEG files it sits in APP11 segments, in PNG files in a caBX chunk. It lists the software that produced the file, the actions taken (created, edited, resized), ingredients such as source photos, thumbnails, a digital source type and a cryptographic signature that binds all of it to a hash of the pixels. Read the C2PA explainer for the full picture.
Why people remove them
- AI labels. When the manifest records AI involvement, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest add a label. LinkedIn shows a CR badge whether or not AI was used.
- Privacy. The manifest can reveal software versions, editing steps, source images and, depending on the tool, a signer name or account.
- Compatibility. Some viewers and older pipelines choke on large APP11 blocks. Removing them keeps the file lean.
How the removal works
Parse
The container is walked segment by segment, and the JUMBF boxes are read so the tool can tell you what the manifest claims before anything changes.
Rebuild
A new file is written from the original image data plus the color profile and a minimal EXIF block for rotation. APP11, XMP, IPTC and comments are left out.
Re-check
The new file is parsed again. It must contain no C2PA container and no other removable metadata, and its encoded pixels must match the original byte for byte.
When re-encoding is the better choice
Some files cannot be cleaned losslessly: JPEGs with multi-picture (MPF) gain maps, animated PNG and WebP, or manifests in a layout the parser does not support yet. In those cases the lossless button is disabled and the re-encode option produces a fresh file with no metadata at all. Re-encoding also invalidates any manifest that was already stripped and later re-attached from a copy, because the pixel hash no longer matches.
Keep it honest
Content Credentials exist to help viewers understand where an image came from. Removing them from your own work, from images you are licensed to publish, or from real photographs that were mislabeled is reasonable. Removing them to present synthetic media as authentic breaks platform rules and, in some places, the law.
Your images are processed inside your browser, with no upload endpoint and no account. Checking, cleaning and converting all happen on your device. Read how your privacy is protected.
Questions people ask
Does removing Content Credentials change the picture?
No. The lossless path only removes metadata segments. The encoded image data, ICC color profile and rotation flag are preserved, and the output is verified against the original.
Will the image still show a CR icon after cleaning?
Not from the file itself. Some platforms keep a copy of credentials in their own systems when the same image was uploaded before, but a freshly cleaned file carries nothing for them to display.
Can I remove credentials from a WebP?
WebP files are supported for EXIF and XMP removal. C2PA manifests in WebP are rare and use a chunk the lossless path does not rewrite; the tool flags them and offers re-encoding instead.
Does this verify whether the credentials are genuine?
No. It reads the manifest and reports what it claims. Signature validation requires certificate trust lists and is best done with the official Verify tool.