Overview
This tool shows the metadata stored inside an image file so you can check what the photo actually contains, not just what it looks like. It can reveal camera and lens details, exposure settings, capture time, dimensions, file type, orientation and, when present, location coordinates. It is especially useful when you need to confirm where a file came from, review shooting settings after a session, or understand why a photo appears rotated or lacks location data. If the file has had metadata stripped during export or sharing, the reader will show that the embedded information is missing rather than inventing it.
Use cases
- Check capture settings from a JPEGReview shutter speed, aperture, ISO and focal length after a shoot to match the photo with your camera settings.
- Confirm whether a file contains location dataSee if latitude and longitude are embedded before sharing a travel, event or field photo.
- Inspect rotation and orientation tagsFind out whether a sideways image is stored with an orientation flag or was actually saved rotated.
- Verify a file before archive importCheck date, camera model and dimensions so the image can be sorted into the right project or folder.
- See what survived an exportCompare the metadata left in a JPEG after an editor, messenger app or conversion step.
How it works
- 1
Upload an image file from your device.
- 2
The reader parses the embedded metadata in the browser.
- 3
Review camera, lens, exposure, date, resolution, orientation and GPS fields.
- 4
Copy the results or use them to assess the file before editing, publishing or archiving.
Examples
Portrait session review
Input: Upload a 24 MP JPEG exported from a DSLR shoot
Output: Camera model, lens name, 1/200 s, f/2.8, ISO 400, focal length and image dimensions are listed.
Useful when you want to match retouching decisions with the original capture settings.
Phone photo with travel tags
Input: Open a HEIC photo saved by a smartphone on a city trip
Output: Date taken, device model, orientation and GPS coordinates appear if the phone stored them.
Helps confirm whether the shot can be mapped to a specific place and time.
Edited file from messaging app
Input: Load a JPEG that was sent through a chat app and saved back to disk
Output: Only basic file details may remain, while camera and GPS fields can be empty.
Shows how sharing or compression can remove embedded metadata.
FAQ
Why does the reader show fewer fields than my camera menu?
Only metadata that was written into the file can be read. Many camera settings are never embedded, and some apps keep only a small subset of EXIF fields.
What if the image has both EXIF and other metadata blocks?
The tool reads the metadata it can detect in the file, then presents the available fields together. If one block is incomplete, other embedded data may still be shown.
Can a photo have a date that does not match the real shoot time?
Yes. The displayed timestamp is whatever was saved in the file, so it can reflect export time, edit time or an incorrect camera clock setting.
Why is GPS empty even though I took the photo on a phone?
Location services may have been disabled, the camera app may not save coordinates, or the metadata may have been removed during sharing or export.
Does orientation change the actual pixels in the file?
Not always. Some images rely on an orientation tag instead of rotated pixels, which is why the same photo may display differently in different apps.