Known Participant

Question

Metadata control is SHOCKING and needs work asap

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
May 2, 2020
4 replies
2209 views

Why does Photoshop save tons of unnecessary metadata to my image exports?

If you analyse jpeg files saved with Photoshop, Lightroom or Bridge you can see that they actually save tons of metadata you can't control. Only "legacy save for web" selecting none, saves nearly no unnecessary data.

Also, lots of entries in the Photoshop integrated file info metadata manager are protected and can't even be changed. Like the date created...

If I use a tool like metadata++ and clear all the unnecessary entries Photoshop saves to my test jpeg, I save a full 24kb. In for web optimized images you can really feel those.

Also, I don't want any software to save hidden info to final exports, I can't affect without even telling me... Especially when I pay decent money for it! At least let me change/ control it.

So now I have to run a 2nd program for every damn file I export. What a waste of my time.

I want to know, why do this Adobe? It's not like you really gain anything from saving all this info? Aside from maybe the SEO boost from plugging your software into every metadata export of every artist using your products.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

Take a look at my recent update to the following topic:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/free-script-remove-selected/m-p/10104624?page=1#M198316

gener7

Community Expert

Here's information on a Photoshop script that should take care of that for you:

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/06/metadata-bloat-photoshopdocumentancestors.html

Michael Bullo

Community Expert

Within the Photoshop Preferences is a History Log tab. You don't have any of this turned on by any chance do you?

Y

YAID3dAuthor

Known Participant

Sadly not, I have History log disabled (no check mark set).

Somehow though it still saves tons of history related metadata I can't seem to do anything about.
Instance Id, Document Id, Original Document Id, DocumentAncestors, HistoryAction, HistoryInstanceID, HistoryWhen, HistorySoftwareAgent, HistoryChanged, HistoryParameters, Derived From Instance Id, Derived From Document Id, Derived From Original Document Id,

and the list goes on and on its literally crazy.

gener7

Community Expert

Usually metadata adds just a few kb to the image and much of it is necessary. Copyrights, keywords, print size, camera information and GPS to name a few. It may not be needed in your line of work, but it is essential for data asset management.

Where it gets out of control is when other items with their metadata are pasted into the main workfile. These are called "document ancesters" and can inflate the file size by as several megabytes. You can clear that out with a script. But metadata does serve a purpose.

Y

YAID3dAuthor

Known Participant

I assume the history related metadata to be the major issue when it comes to file size. The list for DocumentAncestors is already like a page long for some reason.

If you have a scrip you could recommend me here, it would be really helpful.

I agree that in general metadata serves a purpose, but with most of the entries added by Adobe, I just cant see it.
Like which software I used, every modification date, print settings, global angle and altitude, photoshop quality, psd format, creator tool, xmp format, all the dates like create and metadata date.

All those entries are not required for the file to be rendered correctly. And I don't see how they benefit me even the slightest.

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