When I 'Remove location data' from a photo in Preview, it still seems to be there in Photos

When you import a photo with a modified location to Photos, without removing the previous version of the photo from Photos, it will be treated as a duplicate and Photos may use the earlier imported file, not the modified file.

To see in Photos, if the location has been removed by Preview, import the modified file into a new, empty Photos Library. Then you can be sure, that no older version of the same original file is already in your Photos Library and complicating things.

Which system version is running on your Mac? I just tested your procedure to remove the location with Preview on macOS 13 Ventura and it worked well. The info is no longer showing a location in Photos.

But I made sure, the file I imported into Photos is not a duplicate of a file already in the library.

rick7 wrote:

That's interesting. I guess in that case I don't understand what Preview is, nor its relationship to Photos.

When it's suggested to strip out location data from a photo before sending it to someone we don't know, then we can't use Preview's "Remove Location Data" to do that?

Preview is a basic viewer and editor for image files, that comes preinstalled with any Mac as a part of the system. You will find it in the Applications folder. I am using Preview a lot to scan photos or crop and adit image files, that have not been imported to Photos, or to crop image files and convert image files to HEIC before importing them to Photos.

If you remove the location data with Preview, before you import the Photos to Photos, Photos will not be able to show the location.

I don't understand, however, why you want to remove the locations in Photos?

Most of my work with my photos is adding locations to old family scans and to assure, that I can see where a photo has been taken and when it has been for each and every photo. It will make it much easier to find my photos.

You can remove the locations automatically, when you share your photos from Photos. There is a Setting in Photos > General.

That is to be expected because Photos is ignoring the metadata changes done by external editors, after an image has been imported to Photos. The"Image > Edit with is only changing the way the image is looking, the adjustments, but not the metadata. Photos is reading the metadata from the original version. Changing the location with the "image > Edit with" dialog will have no effect on the location displayed in Photos. Photos will continue to use the location it has read fron the original image file, unless you assign a new location using the "image > Location" tools of Photos.

Read too quickly and missed it. I can't duplicate your problem. Give this a try: boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE 1: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

NOTE 2: if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode. This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will insure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

I see that in the Photos app on the Mac I can click on Image > Location > Hide Location, but does that hide it from anyone I send the photo to?

It looks like "Hide Location" removes the location information from the edited version of the picture, so location is blank in Photos and in exports using File>Export>Export nn Photos. If the original had a location, then that remains, and it will be included in File>Export>Original. Since it is still in the original, it can be restored to the edited version. It seems handy, since you can get the map information anytime. However, keywords are not removed, and I often have some location information in keywords.

I have lots of scanned slides, so there is no location information in the original-- I add that data ilater, sometimes with considerable research. So "Hide Location" could be bad for me...

Yes the location in the Info pane for that re-imported image was blank.

I exported the original version, opened it in Preview, removed the GPS, saved and reimported into my library.

I wanted to EDIT a photo LOCATION and couldn't find it in Apple Support.

After opening the photo and clicking Info, I accidentally I tried clicking control and, voila, it lets me move the red pin to any location and correct the error.

Good luck,

d.

You can make a new Photos Library by first, closing Photos, and then Option-clicking on the Photos app. This will open a dialog with a list of your Libraries (that Photos can find) and the option to Create New.

You can go back to your previous library the same way, choosing the Library you want in the dialog. Or you can go to the Pictures folder and double-click on the Library itself. Then, if Photos is running, it will ask if you really want to switch.

Let us know your results!

léonie said: I don't understand, however, why you want to remove the locations in Photos?

There is a Setting in Photos > General.

And, when you export a picture, you can choose to not include Location information.

or some other metadata.