How do I check what hidden data is inside a PNG I exported from a design app?
Open the PNG in the metadata tool and it lists the text chunks it finds: software name, author or comment text, XMP packets, an eXIf chunk and the last edit time, with their contents where readable. Removing them keeps the pixels identical, while the color chunks stay in place.
PNG is not JPEG
When people talk about photo metadata they mean EXIF in phone pictures. But the PNGs you export from design apps, a banner, a promo card, a logo, carry their data differently: the file is divided into chunks, each with a four-letter name, and some chunks are meant for text. Any program can write whatever it likes into them.
The chunks the tool reads
- tEXt: plain text as a key and a value, such as Software followed by the app name, or Author, or Comment. The tool shows both.
- zTXt: the same kind of text, compressed. The tool tries to unpack it to show the contents and tells you if it cannot.
- iTXt: international text that supports Arabic and every other language, compressed or not.
- An XMP packet inside iTXt: a structured block written by editing apps. The tool reports its presence and size without detailing its contents.
- eXIf: yes, a PNG can carry EXIF too, in this chunk, and the tool reads it just as it reads EXIF in a JPEG.
- tIME: the last modification time, which the tool shows in UTC.
What you might actually find
There is no way to say in advance, because every app writes what it chooses, and that can change with updates. You may find just the app name, or your account name, the original file name or a project title in a comment, or nothing at all. Whether you exported from Canva, Photoshop, Figma or an online editor, the only way to know is to look.
The steps
- Open the PNG in the Image metadata inspector and remover tool.
- Read the list: text chunks show with their names and contents, and color chunks are marked 'Stays'.
- If you find something you do not want to publish, such as a client's name in a comment or a confidential project title, press 'Remove metadata'.
- The tool drops tEXt, zTXt, iTXt, eXIf and tIME and copies every other chunk whole, so nothing needs recomputing.
- Review the 'After removal' list and the pixel check, then download the clean copy.
What stays, and why
The color chunks iCCP, gAMA, cHRM and sRGB, and the pHYs print resolution, always stay in PNG, because they define how the image looks and carry no personal data. Chunks the tool does not recognise stay too and are listed, so removing them cannot break the image. That is why PNG has no option to drop the color profile, unlike JPEG and WebP.
Common questions
Does removal affect my logo's transparency?
No. Transparency is part of the image data itself, and the tool does not touch it.
Does the tool handle SVG files from design apps?
No. It supports JPEG, PNG and WebP only.
Is text written inside the design counted as metadata?
No. Everything you see in the image is part of the pixels. The tool removes hidden data only.