Hidden Metadata // Metadata
Remove hidden metadata from Excel files
FileSentinel reveals the hidden metadata in your Excel workbooks and strips it to a clean copy before the file leaves your machine.
What gets stripped
What's hidden in your Excel spreadsheets
FileSentinel surfaces the metadata stored in your workbooks, such as author and editor names and timestamps, and strips it to a clean copy. It also reads the cell data itself for sensitive values, so a clean file is also a checked file.
Where it applies
- XLSX and XLS workbooks
- CSV exports
- Office-format spreadsheets
- Workbooks bound for external sharing
// RESULTS — findings scored by confidence and severity
Why it matters
The trail you forgot was there
Spreadsheets carry authoring metadata and often hold the most sensitive data of all in their cells. Share one externally and you can expose both the trail of who built it and the personal data inside.
- Author, editor, and company names
- Creation and last-modified timestamps
- File-path and template traces
- Sensitive values in the cells themselves
How FileSentinel handles it
Reveal, clean, and keep a record
FileSentinel reads inside your files on your own machine, shows you the hidden metadata, and writes a clean copy you can share. Built-in detectors cover the common cases, and a custom rule builder lets you add plain-text or regex detectors for anything specific to your work.
Reveal
FileSentinel reads the embedded metadata and shows you exactly what each file carries before anything is changed.
Clean copy
Strip the metadata to a clean copy in one click. Your original is left untouched.
History
A remediation history records exactly what was removed and where, so you have a clear audit trail.
Private by design
Your files never leave your PC
Scanning, OCR, and remediation all happen on-device. FileSentinel makes no network connections to do its work, so the very data you are trying to protect never has to leave your machine to be checked. No server, no cloud, no upload step.
More FileSentinel scanners
Find and clean more sensitive data
Questions & answers
Remove spreadsheet metadata FAQ
How do I remove hidden metadata from Excel spreadsheets on Windows?
Install FileSentinel from the Microsoft Store, point it at the folder holding your Excel spreadsheets, and run a scan. FileSentinel shows the embedded metadata, then strips it to a clean copy with one click, all on your PC.
Is removing metadata from Excel spreadsheets private?
Yes. FileSentinel reads and cleans your Excel spreadsheets entirely on your device. Nothing is uploaded and no network connection is made to do the work, so your files never leave your machine.
Does FileSentinel check the cell contents as well as the metadata?
Yes. Alongside stripping workbook metadata to a clean copy, FileSentinel scans the cells for sensitive data such as SSNs, payment cards, and account numbers, so you clean and verify in one pass.
How much does FileSentinel cost?
FileSentinel is available on the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Open the listing to see current pricing and install it in one click.
Get FileSentinel
Remove Hidden Metadata from Excel Spreadsheets
Install FileSentinel from the Microsoft Store and scan your files for sensitive data, all on your Windows PC with nothing uploaded.