How to Share Files Without Revealing
Where, When, or How They Were Created
The photo looks like a photo. The document looks like a document. But attached to almost every file you create is a second layer of information you never typed and probably never noticed.
What files carry without you knowing
Every photo taken on a phone records more than the image. Embedded inside the file is the GPS location of where the photo was taken, the exact date and time, the make and model of the device, the camera settings used, and sometimes the name associated with the device owner.
Documents carry similar information. A Word file stores the name of the person who created it, the dates it was edited, the name of the computer it was made on, and sometimes a revision history that includes content that was deleted before saving.
None of this is visible when you open the file. None of it appears in the image or the text. It sits quietly inside the file, attached to every copy, traveling with it wherever it goes.
When you send a file, the recipient receives everything attached to it. That includes the location where a photo was taken, the timestamp on a document, and the name of the device that created it. They may not look for it. But it is there.
Why this matters when you share
A photo shared with a stranger reveals where you were when you took it. A document sent to a client reveals when you actually finished writing it, which may be different from what the date on the document says. A photo sent anonymously can be traced back to the exact device that took it.
These are not edge cases. Every day, people send files without realising what else is going with them.
A rental listing with photos that contain GPS coordinates of the property. A freelance document with the creator's real name attached. A photo sent to someone new that includes the timestamp of when it was taken and the location of your home. A file forwarded from one person to another, with the original author's information still inside.
The file looks clean. The information is not.
FileVeil's Metadata Removal strips location data, camera details, timestamps, and device information from the cover file before the hiding process begins. What the recipient receives carries no trace of where, when, or how it was created.
How to remove it before sharing
With FileVeil Pro+, Metadata Removal is part of the hiding process. You enable it before you hide, and it runs automatically. The cover file has its background information stripped. Then your private files are hidden inside it. The recipient receives a file with no trace of origin information and no visible sign that anything is hidden inside.
Two layers of privacy in one step. The file carries nothing it should not. And what is inside stays invisible until the right person extracts it.
Everything happens in your browser, on your device. Nothing is uploaded. The result is downloaded directly to you.
Metadata Removal is a FileVeil Pro+ feature. It runs before hiding, as part of the same process. No separate steps needed.
Step by step
Open FileVeil and go to Hide mode
Go to fileveil.com on any device. Make sure you are on the Hide tab. Everything runs in your browser and stays on your device.
Enable Metadata Removal
In the options panel, turn on Metadata Removal. This tells FileVeil to strip location, camera details, and timestamps from the cover file before anything is hidden inside it.
Choose a cover file
Pick any ordinary file to act as the container. A photo, a PDF, a video clip. This is the file your recipient will receive. Its background information will be removed before anything is hidden inside.
Add the files you want to hide
Select the files to embed inside the cover. Any file type works. Documents, photos, audio, video, anything. They go inside the cover, encrypted and invisible.
Set a key (optional, but recommended)
Add a password to encrypt the hidden files. Without a key, anyone with FileVeil can extract what is inside. With a key, only whoever knows it can.
Download and share
Download the result. It looks exactly like the original cover file. Send it through any platform as a document. The recipient sees a normal file. The origin information is gone. What is inside stays private.
When this makes a difference
Every day, people send files that carry more information than they intend to. Sometimes it matters. Sometimes it matters a great deal.
Frequently asked questions
Hide any file inside another file
Everything stays on your device. No uploads, no cloud.
Upgrade to Pro+ to remove location, timestamps, and device details before sharing.