G’day guys, if you’ve been having the issue of being labelled with ‘AI Content’ on instagram, I’ve got a workaround for you. Let me know if this works for you like it did for me!

A free, step-by-step guide for Mac users

Instagram has been incorrectly labelling some of my videos as AI-generated, despite the footage being entirely real.

After multiple conversations with Meta Support, I was advised to remove all metadata from my videos before uploading. Unfortunately, they couldn’t identify exactly which metadata was triggering the label.

After some testing, I found a solution using FFmpeg, a free, open-source video processing tool.

I’ve since created a simple drag-and-drop Mac application that removes standard metadata from my video exports without affecting their quality.

This resolved the incorrect AI label on the videos I tested. I can’t guarantee it’ll work for everyone, but if you’re experiencing the same issue, it’s worth trying.

Here’s how to set it up.

Step 1 - Install Homebrew

Homebrew is a free tool that allows you to install software on your Mac.

1. Open Terminal on your Mac.

You can find it by pressing Command + Space, typing Terminal, and pressing Enter.

2. Copy the following command into Terminal and press Enter.

  
    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

3. Follow the installation instructions.

You may be asked to enter your Mac password. When typing your password, the characters won’t appear on screen. This is normal.

4. Once installation is complete, follow any additional instructions displayed under “Next steps”.

For Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4, etc.), you can typically use these commands:

  
    echo >> ~/.zprofile
echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv zsh)"' >> ~/.zprofile
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv zsh)"

5. Confirm Homebrew is installed by entering:

brew --version

If a version number appears, you’re ready to continue.

If Homebrew is already installed, you can skip this step.

Step 2 - Install FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a free tool used to process video and audio files.

We’ll use it to create fresh video files without copying their existing metadata.

1. In Terminal, enter:

brew install ffmpeg

2. Press Enter and wait for the installation to finish.

3. Confirm FFmpeg has installed successfully:

ffmpeg -version

If you see information about the installed version, you’re good to go.

Step 3 - Create Your Drag-and-Drop Application

Rather than manually entering commands every time you export a video, we’ll create a simple Mac application that automatically processes your files.

We’ll use Automator, which comes pre-installed on macOS.

1. Press Command + Space and search for Automator.

2. Open Automator and select New Document.

3. Choose Application as the document type.

4. In the search bar on the left, search for Run Shell Script.

5. Drag the Run Shell Script action into the workspace on the right.

6. At the top of the action, configure the following settings:

Shell: /bin/zsh
Pass input: as arguments

7. Delete the default text inside the script window.

Step 4 - Add the Metadata Removal Script

Copy the entire script below and paste it into the Run Shell Script window in Automator.

  
    #!/bin/zsh

# Location of FFmpeg
FFMPEG="/opt/homebrew/bin/ffmpeg"

# Process every file dropped onto the app
for file in "$@"
do
    # Check that the file is a supported video
    case "${file:l}" in
        *.mp4|*.mov|*.m4v)
            ;;
        *)
            continue
            ;;
    esac

    # Get original filename and folder
    directory="${file:h}"
    filename="${file:t}"
    name="${filename:r}"

    # Create cleaned filename
    output="$directory/${name}_CLEAN.mp4"

    # Avoid overwriting existing files
    counter=1
    while [[ -e "$output" ]]; do
        output="$directory/${name}_CLEAN_${counter}.mp4"
        ((counter++))
    done

    # Strip metadata without re-encoding
    "$FFMPEG" -i "$file" \
        -map 0:v:0 \
        -map '0:a?' \
        -map_metadata -1 \
        -map_metadata:s -1 \
        -map_chapters -1 \
        -c copy \
        "$output"

done

# Notify when finished
osascript -e 'display notification "Your videos have been processed." with title "Metadata Cleaner"'
  
  

What does this script do?

The script uses FFmpeg to create a new MP4 file while removing standard container metadata.

It also:

Preserves the original video and audio quality without re-encoding.
Leaves the original file untouched.
Automatically adds _CLEAN to the filename.
Saves the new file alongside the original.
Allows you to process multiple videos at once.

Note: This script is intended primarily for finished H.264 and H.265 social media exports. Some professional codecs stored in MOV files aren’t compatible with MP4 and may fail to process. The script also doesn’t guarantee removal of every embedded metadata or provenance signal.

Step 5 - Save Your Application

1. In Automator, select File → Save.

2. Name your application:

Metadata Cleaner

3. Save it to your Applications folder.

4. Open Finder and navigate to Applications.

You should now see an application called Metadata Cleaner.app.

For easier access, drag the application onto your Mac’s Dock.

Step 6 - Clean Your Videos

You’re finished with the setup!

From now on, removing metadata is as simple as dragging your video files onto the application.

1. Export your video from your editing software as usual.

2. Find the exported MP4 or MOV file in Finder.

3. Drag the file directly onto your new Metadata Cleaner application.

4. Wait for the application to process your video.

5. Open the folder containing your original video.

You should now see two files:

Original:
MY_VIDEO.mp4

Cleaned:
MY_VIDEO_CLEAN.mp4

The cleaned version is the file you’ll upload to Instagram.

You can also select multiple videos and drag them onto the application simultaneously.

Step 7 - Test Your Video on Instagram

Upload your cleaned video to Instagram and check whether the AI label still appears.

In my case, this process successfully resolved the incorrect AI labels on the videos I tested.

If your video is still being flagged, the issue may involve additional metadata, embedded provenance information, or other signals used by Meta’s detection system.

Removing standard metadata is not a guaranteed solution.

A Few Important Notes

Will this reduce video quality?

No. The script uses FFmpeg’s -c copy function, which copies the original encoded video and audio streams without recompressing them.

Does this remove absolutely all metadata?

No. It removes standard container metadata and excludes additional data streams, but some technical metadata and embedded information may remain. Certain metadata is also necessary for a video file to function correctly.

Does this work with photos?

No. This particular application is designed for video files. Photos require a different workflow.

Will this work on Windows?

The FFmpeg process works on Windows, but these specific instructions are for macOS. Windows users would need to create a different script or application.

Will this definitely remove Instagram’s AI label?

Not necessarily. This process worked on my own incorrectly labelled videos, but Meta uses multiple signals to identify AI-generated content. Metadata removal alone may not resolve every case.

Final Thoughts

For creators shooting and editing original footage, having work incorrectly labelled as AI-generated is incredibly frustrating.

This is the simplest solution I’ve found so far, and it’s now part of my regular export workflow.

Editing Software → Export → Metadata Cleaner → Instagram

The entire process is free, takes only a few minutes to set up, and doesn’t require any ongoing subscriptions.

Hopefully it helps a few other creators dealing with the same issue.

Disclaimer: This guide is intended to help creators troubleshoot incorrect AI labels on authentic content, not to misrepresent AI-generated material. Removing metadata can also remove attribution and provenance information, so always retain your original files.