diff --git a/src/basicio.cpp b/src/basicio.cpp
index 8a179518..5e9ddd72 100644
--- a/src/basicio.cpp
+++ b/src/basicio.cpp
@@ -67,14 +67,7 @@ namespace fs = std::filesystem;
 
 #define mode_t unsigned short
 
-// Platform specific headers for handling extended attributes (xattr)
-#if defined(__APPLE__)
-# include <sys/xattr.h>
-#endif
-
 #if defined(__MINGW__) || (defined(WIN32) && !defined(__CYGWIN__))
-// Windows doesn't provide nlink_t
-using nlink_t = short;
 # include <windows.h>
 # include <io.h>
 #endif
@@ -145,8 +138,6 @@ namespace Exiv2 {
         int switchMode(OpMode opMode);
         //! stat wrapper for internal use
         int stat(StructStat& buf) const;
-        //! copy extended attributes (xattr) from another file
-        void copyXattrFrom(const FileIo& src);
         // NOT IMPLEMENTED
         Impl(const Impl& rhs) = delete;             //!< Copy constructor
         Impl& operator=(const Impl& rhs) = delete;  //!< Assignment
@@ -227,53 +218,6 @@ namespace Exiv2 {
         return ret;
     } // FileIo::Impl::stat
 
-#if defined(__APPLE__)
-    void FileIo::Impl::copyXattrFrom(const FileIo& src)
-#else
-    void FileIo::Impl::copyXattrFrom(const FileIo&)
-#endif
-    {
-#if defined(__APPLE__)
-        ssize_t namebufSize = ::listxattr(src.p_->path_.c_str(), 0, 0, 0);
-        if (namebufSize < 0) {
-            throw Error(kerCallFailed, src.p_->path_, strError(), "listxattr");
-        }
-        if (namebufSize == 0) {
-            // No extended attributes in source file
-            return;
-        }
-        char* namebuf = new char[namebufSize];
-        if (::listxattr(src.p_->path_.c_str(), namebuf, namebufSize, 0) != namebufSize) {
-            throw Error(kerCallFailed, src.p_->path_, strError(), "listxattr");
-        }
-        for (ssize_t namebufPos = 0; namebufPos < namebufSize;) {
-            const char *name = namebuf + namebufPos;
-            namebufPos += strlen(name) + 1;
-            const ssize_t valueSize = ::getxattr(src.p_->path_.c_str(), name, 0, 0, 0, 0);
-            if (valueSize < 0) {
-                throw Error(kerCallFailed, src.p_->path_, strError(), "getxattr");
-            }
-            char* value = new char[valueSize];
-            if (::getxattr(src.p_->path_.c_str(), name, value, valueSize, 0, 0) != valueSize) {
-                throw Error(kerCallFailed, src.p_->path_, strError(), "getxattr");
-            }
-// #906.  Mountain Lion 'sandbox' terminates the app when we call setxattr
-#ifndef __APPLE__
-#ifdef  EXIV2_DEBUG_MESSAGES
-            EXV_DEBUG << "Copying xattr \"" << name << "\" with value size " << valueSize << "\n";
-#endif
-            if (::setxattr(path_.c_str(), name, value, valueSize, 0, 0) != 0) {
-                throw Error(kerCallFailed, path_, strError(), "setxattr");
-            }
-            delete [] value;
-#endif
-        }
-        delete [] namebuf;
-#else
-        // No xattr support for this platform.
-#endif
-    } // FileIo::Impl::copyXattrFrom
-
     FileIo::FileIo(const std::string& path)
         : p_(new Impl(path))
     {