PHOTO METADATA GUIDE
What is EXIF data? See a photo's date, location and camera
Updated: 1 October 2026
A photo is more than its pixels. If the camera saved them, the file also holds the capture date, GPS location, camera or phone model, lens and editing software. Most of this lives in EXIF tags, some in XMP and IPTC fields; together they are called metadata.
Key fields from a real report
| Field in the report | Value in the test file | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Make / Model | Apple / iPhone 15 Pro | The device that took the photo |
| DateTimeOriginal | 2026:08:14 19:42:07 | The moment the shutter fired |
| OffsetTimeOriginal | +03:00 | The time zone at that moment |
| GPSLatitude / GPSLongitude | 41.025631 / 28.974158 | Coordinates of where it was taken |
| GPSAltitude | 62 m | Height above sea level |
| ExposureTime, FNumber, ISO | 1/120, f/1.8, 64 | Shutter speed, aperture, sensitivity |
| FieldOfView | 73.7 deg | Angle of view, calculated from the lens data |
These values come from the EXIF Scanner report for a test JPEG we tagged like a phone photo. The file carried 37 fields in total.
How to find when a photo was taken
If the original file stored a capture date, the report shows it as DateTimeOriginal, often with its time zone (OffsetTimeOriginal). The date a file was downloaded or copied is not the capture date. Images re-saved through WhatsApp, Instagram or another app may have lost or changed the original date field.
Does the photo have a location?
If the camera app had location access, the phone adds GPS coordinates to the photo. EXIF Scanner only shows coordinates actually stored in the file and marks them on a map; it never guesses a place from the image. See find where a photo was taken for details.
Which phone or camera took it?
If they were saved, the manufacturer and model appear in the Make and Model fields. Lens, ISO, aperture, shutter speed and focal length are there in suitable files too. On iPhone photos the lens name also says which camera was used; see the HEIC EXIF viewer. Screenshots and images downloaded from social networks often lack these fields, and that is normal.
Does the photo carry hidden information?
Metadata can include date, location, device model, software, copyright or author fields. You can't see them when you open the photo, but they travel with the file. EXIF Scanner reports what is there and offers five ways to remove it before sharing:
| Option | What it removes | Fields left in the test file |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare for sharing | GPS location, every date field, author, copyright, serial numbers, description and comments. Camera details stay. | 23 of 37 |
| Remove GPS only | Only the location fields | 29 of 37 |
| Keep camera info | Everything, then writes back only make, model, lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length and flash | Camera fields only |
| Remove all metadata | Every EXIF, XMP and IPTC tag. Only file-structure details such as dimensions remain. | 6 of 37 |
| Download clean JPEG | The EXIF, XMP, IPTC and comment blocks inside a JPEG. Runs in your browser, JPEG only. | No metadata blocks |
For a step-by-step walkthrough, see remove EXIF data.
Things to keep in mind
- Missing means missing: The tool shows only what the file stores; it never fills in a blank field.
- Not proof: Metadata can be edited, or removed by sharing apps.
- The original carries more: Resized versions and downloads from social networks can lose fields.
- Video times may be UTC: Video files usually store creation time in UTC; see video metadata.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find out where a photo was taken?
If the file has a GPS record, you can see the coordinates and the place on a map. If there is no GPS, this tool does not work out a location from the image.
How do I check if a photo has a location?
Upload the photo to the tool. The report shows the location fields and, if present, the coordinates; if there is no location it says so plainly.
Can anyone see which phone took my photo?
If device details are still in the file, anyone who can read metadata can see them. Before sharing, make a clean copy with "Prepare for sharing" or "Remove all metadata".
Does EXIF data prove a photo is real?
No. EXIF gives useful context, but it can be changed, can be missing, or can be removed when the photo is shared.