Google is giving you more control over your shared photo location data
By default, Android’s Photo Picker strips location data (EXIF data) from the photos you choose to share with apps. While this is great for those who care deeply about privacy, certain apps rely on EX…
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By default, Android’s Photo Picker strips location data (EXIF data) from the photos you choose to share with apps. While this is great for those who care deeply about privacy, certain apps rely on EXIF data (for non-invasive reasons) to function properly. Back in June, we spotted code that suggested Google was working on giving you more granular control over your location data in the Photo Picker UI. The company has now confirmed that the change will be rolling out soon.
In a Reddit post , Mishaal Rahman, who manages community engagement for Android at Google, revealed that the company is introducing a new Photo Picker API to address a “common pain point” app developers have with how the Android Photo Picker currently behaves. While the previous API removes location data by default, this new API will allow users to choose whether to include it with the photos they pick to share with an app.
When this update rolls out to your device, you’ll start seeing a new prompt in the Photo Picker. This prompt will ask, “Include location info?” when you select what photos you want to share. If you choose “Don’t include,” the information will be redacted as usual, while tapping on “Include location” will keep your EXIF metadata untouched.
Rahman says that the system will remember your choice for that app. So the next time you share photos with the same app, you won’t be asked for your preference again. However, you will be able to revoke or regrant access at will. Changing this permission can be done by tapping on the location info button in the bottom right corner of the Photo Picker UI.
This new API will be a part of the mainline August 2026 update, Rahman says. As such, it’s not widely rolled out quite yet. But you won’t have to wait much longer for more granular control over the location data in your images.
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