How to check a photo's metadata

Every phone and computer can show a photo's basic metadata without an app: when it was taken, the device, the settings and sometimes the place. Below is where to find it on each one, what those views leave out, and a free reader that shows every field at once.

✓ Free✓ No sign-up🔒 Deleted after readingiPhone · Android · Windows · Mac

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Drop or paste a photo to read all its metadata

Camera, date, settings, location, Content Credentials and AI tags, in any browser.

Choose a photo →

Use the original file if you can. Screenshots and photos saved from social apps have usually lost their metadata.

On an iPhone or iPad

Open the photo in the Photos app and swipe up, or tap the info button (the small i). You get the date and time, the camera and lens, the exposure settings, the file size and resolution, and a map if the photo has a location.

Photos shows a summary, not the full record. Fields such as the editing software, Content Credentials and most technical tags only appear in a dedicated reader.

On Android

In Google Photos, open the photo and swipe up, or open the menu (three dots) and choose Details. Samsung Gallery works the same way: swipe up, or tap the info icon.

You see the date, the device, the file details and the location when there is one. A location only appears if the camera app had location access when the photo was taken.

On Windows

In File Explorer, right-click the file, choose Properties, then open the Details tab. It is grouped into Camera, Advanced photo, Image, GPS and File sections. The same tab has a link for removing properties, if you want to strip them before sharing.

On a Mac

Open the photo in Preview, choose Tools, then Show Inspector, and open the More Info tab: it has General, EXIF and, when there is a location, GPS sections. In the Photos app, select the photo and choose Window, then Info.

What the built-in views leave out

Content Credentials. The signed origin record that newer cameras and AI tools such as ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly attach. No phone or desktop view shows it.
AI-generation tags. Generators sometimes name themselves in the software field or in XMP, which the system views hide or truncate.
The full field list. Phones show a dozen fields. A camera file can hold over a hundred, from lens serial numbers to the software that last saved it.

The reader at the top shows all three. For the complete table of fields, use the online EXIF viewer.

Why a photo can show no metadata

A screenshot is a new file with none of the original's data. WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and most other platforms strip metadata when they compress a photo, and location is the first thing to go. An empty result does not mean a photo is fake, only that it passed through something that cleaned it. If you know who took it, ask for the original sent as a file or document. To find where a photo was taken when its location is gone, see where was this photo taken?

Frequently asked questions

How do I check the metadata of a photo?

On a phone, open the photo and swipe up or tap the info button. On Windows, right-click the file, choose Properties, then Details. On a Mac, open it in Preview and choose Tools, Show Inspector. To see every field at once, including Content Credentials, upload it to the reader on this page.

Can I see where a photo was taken from its metadata?

Yes, if location was on when it was taken and the file still has its GPS data. The phone views show it on a map, and the reader on this page gives the coordinates with a map link. Photos sent through messaging apps or posted on social media usually lose it.

Why does a photo show no metadata?

It was removed along the way. Screenshots are new files with no camera data, and messaging apps and social networks strip metadata when they compress a photo. Ask for the original file, sent as a document or file rather than as a photo.

Can photo metadata be edited or faked?

Yes. Dates, camera details and location can all be changed with ordinary software, so treat metadata as a lead rather than proof. Content Credentials are harder to fake because they are signed, and the reader shows whether the signature checks out.

Do I need an app to check photo metadata?

No. iPhone Photos, Google Photos, Windows File Explorer and macOS Preview all show the basics. For the full list of fields and for Content Credentials, the reader on this page works in any browser, free and without sign-up.