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strypt can remove metadata it recognizes from supported images, documents and media files, then re-read the cleaned output to check for metadata its handlers still detect. That is useful for reducing hidden information before sharing, but it is not a guarantee that every identifying trace is gone. The project’s documentation for version 0.2.0 explicitly warns that complex formats may retain metadata.
What hidden metadata can reveal
Files can carry information beyond what appears when you open or view them. An image may contain EXIF data, for example, while a document may include hidden personal information. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office advises checking documents for hidden personal information and identifies image EXIF as one example; this does not mean every file contains sensitive data. Read the ICO’s guidance on sharing personal information.
Metadata is only one privacy concern. A photo can visibly show a face, a screen, a reflection, a street sign or text that identifies a person or place. A cleaned metadata report cannot make that visible content private.
What strypt does, and what its claims mean
strypt is distributed as a command-line tool and a desktop application. Its project describes it as a self-contained binary and says its code paths make no network connections. These are claims in the project documentation, not findings from an independent security audit; the project reports that it has no external audit. Its documentation describes internal checks and fuzzing, which are also project-reported practices rather than independent certification. See the strypt-core 0.2.0 documentation and the project repository.
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According to the project, strypt fails closed when it cannot fully process a file, re-reads cleaned outputs, and reports unsupported formats instead of passing them through. Re-reading is a check for metadata recognized by the relevant handler; it cannot establish that all possible hidden or identifying traces have been eliminated. The project explicitly cautions that no tool can guarantee complete metadata removal from complex formats.
Which file formats strypt documents as supported
The project documentation for version 0.2.0 lists these formats. Support means the project documents a handler for the format; it is not an independent test of every variant or file.
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| Images | JPEG, PNG, WebP, TIFF, GIF, HEIF/AVIF, SVG and JPEG XL | Photographs embedded in documents are handled by image handlers, but for PDF the project says this applies to JPEGs only. |
| Documents | PDF, Office Open XML and OpenDocument | PDF embedded-photo handling is limited to JPEGs, according to the project. |
| Media | FLAC, WAV, MP3, Ogg and MP4/M4A | Unsupported formats are reported rather than passed through, according to the project. |
Format labels do not guarantee that every file variant or unusual structure can be processed completely. The project says it will fail closed if it cannot fully process a file, but its broader warning about complex formats still applies.
How to use strypt before sharing a file
Install the release appropriate for your operating system by following the project’s current installation instructions. At the time documented for version 0.2.0, the GUI requirements listed macOS 11 or later, Linux x86_64 or arm64 on Ubuntu 22.04 or Debian 12 and newer, and Windows x86_64. Availability and requirements can change, so check the project repository for current guidance.
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Keep the original separate. Work on a copy if you may need the original later.
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Process the copy with strypt. Use its desktop application or command-line tool, following the project’s instructions for your release and platform. The project says the output keeps the supplied filename and adds the suffix
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Inspect the output. Use
strypt showon the cleaned file and read any notes about metadata that remains. A clean report only concerns what the tool recognizes.Quick wins for a faster PC:
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Review the file itself. Open the output and check its visible contents, legibility and appearance before sharing. Rename it if its filename reveals personal information.
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Upload only the cleaned copy. The project warns that a platform may store the file you submit even if it later displays a re-encoded version.
What to check beyond metadata removal
- Visible identifiers: inspect faces, screens, reflections, signs, addresses and written text.
- Filename: replace names or other identifying details in the filename; stripping metadata does not rename away identifying information automatically.
- Retained-metadata notes: review the output with
strypt showand pay attention to anything the tool reports as retained. - Upload behavior: submit only the cleaned copy, and remember a service may retain the submitted original or add information after upload.
How strypt compares with other metadata tools
The strypt project names mat2 and ExifTool as alternatives that cover more formats. That is the project’s characterization, not a current independent comparison of their capabilities. If you are choosing a tool, compare its supported formats, how it handles parse failures, whether processing is local or remote, what it shows about removed or retained metadata, and its stated limits.
Release history is also worth reading in context. The project says versions 0.1.1 and earlier could drop a page in a particular PDF page-tree case, and version 0.1.0 left EXIF data in photographs inside PDFs. Those are disclosed defects in earlier releases, not evidence that the same defects apply to version 0.2.0.
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