How to Strip 'Made with Claude' Metadata from Images and PDFs

What Is C2PA Metadata?

When Claude generates or processes an image, it embeds C2PA metadata — a standardized content credentials format — into the file. This metadata acts as a digital fingerprint that identifies the content as AI-generated.

According to Anthropic's announcement, this is part of Claude's compliance with the EU AI Act's transparency requirements. But for many users, this metadata is unwelcome — it permanently marks files as AI-generated.

What C2PA Metadata Contains

This metadata is persistent — it survives file transfers, copies, and most standard processing. Anyone with a C2PA-compatible viewer (built into many modern browsers and operating systems) can see that your image was generated by Claude.

Method 1: ClaudeRewrite (Recommended)

Step 1: Visit ClaudeRewrite and upload your image or PDF file. Supported formats include JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, TIFF, and PDF.

Step 2: Click the process button. ClaudeRewrite automatically strips all C2PA metadata while preserving image quality and document content.

Step 3: Download your clean file. The file is identical in every way — except the C2PA metadata is completely gone.

Step 4: Verify the metadata was removed. Open the file in a browser or use ExifTool (see below) to confirm no C2PA data remains.

Method 2: ExifTool (For Power Users)

ExifTool is a command-line utility for reading and writing metadata in files. It's free, powerful, and trusted by professionals — but requires technical knowledge.

To strip C2PA metadata with ExifTool:

exiftool -all= your-image.jpg
exiftool -all= your-document.pdf

ExifTool is excellent for batch processing and automation, but it only handles metadata removal — it doesn't address the text-based watermark layers (invisible Unicode and statistical patterns). For a complete solution, use ClaudeRewrite.

How to Verify Metadata Was Removed

After processing, verify that C2PA metadata has been stripped:

1. Browser: Open the image in Chrome or Edge — check the "Content Credentials" indicator (shield icon) in the address bar
2. ExifTool: Run exiftool your-file.jpg and look for any C2PA or XMP fields
3. Metadata2Go: Upload to an online metadata viewer to inspect all fields
4. Windows: Right-click → Properties → Details tab, look for content credentials

A clean file should show no C2PA, content credentials, or AI-related metadata fields.

References

• C2PA: Content Credentials Specification
• Anthropic: Making Claude's Compliance with the EU AI Act
• ExifTool by Phil Harvey
• Content Authenticity Initiative (Adobe)