Metadata Viewer

Tool Overview

This metadata viewer reads hidden information stored inside image files. It shows camera details, location, dates, and other data that cameras and software save with the image. You upload an image and the tool lists all the metadata it finds.

Many people do not know what is inside their photos. Images can contain where and when they were taken, what device was used, and even serial numbers. This can affect privacy when you share photos. The tool solves this by showing exactly what data is in the file so you can decide what to do.

The tool is for anyone who wants to see or change image metadata. Photographers use it to check or edit camera settings and copyright. People who care about privacy use it to see if a photo contains location or device data. You do not need technical skills. You upload an image and read the result. Editing is optional and only works for JPEG files.

Background & Concept Explanation

Metadata is data about the image that is stored inside the file. It is not the pixels you see. It can include the camera make and model, the date and time the photo was taken, exposure settings like ISO and aperture, and sometimes GPS coordinates. Different standards exist. EXIF is common for camera data. GPS data can record where the photo was taken. IPTC and XMP are used for copyright, keywords, and other details.

Metadata is used in many places. Cameras and phones add it automatically. Editing software can change or remove it. Law enforcement and journalists may need it to verify when and where a photo was taken. People who share photos may want to strip location or device data to protect privacy. A related operation involves viewing image metadata as part of a similar workflow.

People struggle to see metadata without a tool. File properties in an operating system often show only a few fields. Specialized software can be expensive or hard to use. This tool runs in your browser and shows a full list of what is in the file. It also highlights privacy risks such as GPS location or device serial numbers.

Some metadata can be edited. For JPEG files, the tool can write changes back into the file. Other formats can be viewed but not edited here. Editing is useful to add copyright, correct dates, or remove location data before sharing.

Key Features

• Upload by drag and drop or by clicking to browse. The tool accepts image files. The list shown includes JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, and RAW. The file must be under 50MB. If the file is too large or not an image, you see a clear error. This keeps the tool fast and avoids invalid files.
• Metadata is read from the file in your browser. The tool uses a library that supports EXIF, IPTC, and XMP data. Nothing is sent to a server for extraction. A short note at the bottom states that files are processed locally and no data is stored on servers. This matters for privacy.
• A summary card shows an overview. It includes file name, size, type, and dimensions. Completeness is shown as high, medium, or low based on how many metadata fields were found. Privacy is shown as Safe or Risks Found. If risks are detected, they are listed for example GPS Location, Device Serial Number, or Location in Comments. Scope badges show which standards were found such as EXIF, GPS, IPTC, or XMP. This helps you quickly see how rich the metadata is and whether it may expose location or device info.
• Metadata is grouped into sections. Technical Specification covers file and image properties, resolution, color space, orientation, and date and time fields. Camera and Optics covers make, model, serial numbers, exposure time, aperture, ISO, focal length, lens, flash, white balance, and related fields. Location Data covers GPS coordinates, altitude, and location names if present. Additional Metadata covers software, artist, copyright, keywords, captions, and similar. Any remaining fields appear under Other Metadata. Each group shows an icon, title, and field count. This organizes a long list so you can find what you need.
• Each metadata field has a label and a value. You can copy a value with a copy button that appears on hover. This makes it easy to paste a value elsewhere such as a form or document.
• If the image contains GPS coordinates, a map is shown. The tool embeds a map view centered on the coordinates. The latitude and longitude are displayed and can be copied. A button opens the location in an external map site in a new tab. If the coordinates are invalid or out of range, a message is shown instead of the map. This helps you see where the photo was taken and share or remove that information.
• Optional AI analysis looks at the metadata and returns a security report. You click a button to request it. The result includes a security score out of 100, a short insight, and a list of recommendations. This is optional. If the request fails, you still have the full metadata view. The tool does not depend on AI to show metadata.
• Edit Metadata is available only for JPEG files. When you open a JPEG, an Edit Metadata button appears. Clicking it shows a form where you can change camera make and model, copyright, artist, software, date and time fields, exposure and aperture and ISO and focal length, lens make and model, and GPS latitude, longitude, and altitude. You can save changes so the result updates and the in-memory file is updated, or download the file with the new metadata. Cancel exits the form without saving. If the file is not JPEG, the button is disabled and a message explains that only JPEG is supported for editing. This lets you correct or add metadata before sharing.
• Validation applies when editing. Latitude must be between minus 90 and 90. Longitude must be between minus 180 and 180. Date and time fields must use the format year, month, day, hour, minute, second in the required style. If you enter invalid values, errors are shown and save or download is blocked until they are fixed. This prevents broken metadata.
• Clear removes the current image and result so you can upload another file. The upload area shows a preview and file name when a result is loaded. You can clear and start over at any time.

Common Use Cases

Photographers check metadata to confirm camera settings or to add copyright and artist name before publishing. They use the viewer to see what is already in the file and the editor to fix or add fields on JPEGs.

People who care about privacy use the tool to see if a photo contains GPS or device identifiers. The summary highlights privacy risks. They can then use another tool to strip metadata or, for JPEGs, edit and remove or change location data before sharing. For adjacent tasks, viewing EXIF data addresses a complementary step.

Journalists and researchers verify when and where a photo was taken. They upload the image and check date, time, and location fields. The map helps confirm that the coordinates match the claimed place.

Archivists and cataloguers need to see full metadata for many images. The grouped layout and copy buttons make it easy to read and copy values into a spreadsheet or database.

Anyone receiving a photo and wondering what information is embedded can drop the file into the tool and get a full list. No account or install is required. The tool runs in the browser and processes the file locally for viewing.

How to Use This Tool

1. Open the metadata viewer in your browser.
2. Upload an image. Drag and drop a file onto the upload area or click to browse. The file must be an image and under 50MB. Accepted types include JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, and RAW.
3. Wait for processing. The tool reads the file locally and extracts metadata. When done, the upload area shows a small preview and the file name. Below it you see the summary and groups.
4. Read the summary. Check completeness and privacy. If privacy risks are listed, read them so you know what data is in the file.
5. Scroll through the metadata groups. Open Technical Specification, Camera and Optics, Location Data, Additional Metadata, and Other Metadata as needed. Use the copy button next to any value to copy it to the clipboard.
6. If the image has GPS data, look at the map and the coordinates. Copy the coordinates if needed or use the button to open the location in an external map.
7. Optionally click Analyze to get an AI security report. Wait for the result. You will see a score, an insight, and recommendations. This step is optional and can fail; the metadata view is unchanged.
8. For JPEG files only, you can click Edit Metadata. Fill or change the fields you need. Respect the validation rules for GPS and date format. Click Save to update the result and the file in memory, or Download to save the file with updated metadata to your device. Click Cancel to exit without saving.
9. To view another image, click Clear. The upload area resets and you can drop or select a new file.

Calculations & Logic

The tool does not perform numeric calculations for display. It reads raw values from the image file and formats them for display. File size is converted from bytes to a human-readable form such as KB or MB. Exposure time may be shown as a fraction for values below one second. Aperture is shown with an f-number. Dates are converted to a readable date and time format. GPS coordinates are validated: latitude must be between minus 90 and 90 and longitude between minus 180 and 180 for the map to show. Invalid coordinates show an error message instead. When working with related formats, scanning barcodes can be a useful part of the process.

Completeness is derived from how many metadata keys were found. If the count is above a threshold it is high; if above a lower threshold it is medium; otherwise it is low. This gives a quick idea of how much metadata the file contains.

Privacy risks are detected by rules. If GPS or latitude and longitude are present, GPS Location is added to the list. If a serial number or camera serial field is present, Device Serial Number is added. If certain comment fields contain words related to location or address, Location in Comments is added. The summary shows these so you can decide whether to share the file or edit it.

When you edit metadata on a JPEG, the tool writes the new values back into the file using the EXIF standard. GPS coordinates are converted from decimal degrees to the format used inside the file. Exposure time and aperture are stored as rational numbers. Date and time must be in the required format. The edited file is then either updated in memory or offered as a download. Only JPEG is supported for writing; other formats are view only.

Reference Tables or Scales

Completeness levels: In some workflows, extracting text from images is a relevant follow-up operation.

Privacy risk labels you may see:

Limits and support:

Tips, Limitations & Best Practices

Use the summary first. Check privacy risks before sharing a photo. If GPS or serial number is listed, consider stripping metadata with another tool or editing the JPEG here to remove or change location data.

Editing is only for JPEG. PNG, WebP, HEIC, and RAW can be viewed but not edited in this tool. To change metadata on other formats, use software that supports writing metadata for those types. For related processing needs, picking colors from images handles a complementary task.

When editing dates, use the exact format required. Invalid format blocks save and download. The tool may pre-fill from existing values; you can change them but keep the same style.

GPS coordinates are validated. If you enter latitude or longitude outside the valid ranges, the form shows an error and you cannot save until it is fixed. The map also validates coordinates before showing; invalid values show a message instead.

AI analysis is optional and can fail. If you see an error, you still have the full metadata list. Do not rely on the security report for the only record of what is in the file.

The tool processes files locally for metadata extraction. No image or metadata is sent to a server for viewing or editing. Only the optional AI analysis sends data to a backend. Keep that in mind if you use Analyze.

The map is loaded from an external service. Opening the location in an external map opens a third-party site in a new tab. Use normal caution when opening external links.

After editing and saving, the result updates to show the new metadata. If you download the file, the downloaded file contains the updated metadata. The original file on your device is not changed until you save or replace it yourself.