What is EXIF data?
Updated 26 September 2026
Tool for this guide: Metadata viewer
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data is information that cameras and phones store inside photo files, alongside the picture itself. It's invisible when you look at the photo, but any app that reads metadata can show it.
What EXIF can contain
| Information | Example |
|---|---|
| Camera and lens | Canon EOS R5, RF 24-105mm |
| Settings | 1/250 s, f/2.8, ISO 400, 50 mm |
| Date and time taken | 17 May 2024, 14:32 |
| GPS location | 51.5034, -0.1277 (if location was on) |
| Orientation | Which way up the photo should be shown |
| Software | The app that last edited the photo |
Files can also contain XMP and IPTC metadata, used for captions, keywords, copyright notices and editing history.
How to view it
Open the image metadata viewer and add a photo. You'll see a summary of the camera, settings and date, the full list of fields grouped by type, and a map link if the photo contains a location. It works with JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC and TIFF files, and nothing is uploaded.
Why it matters
- Privacy. A location in a photo of your home, or your child's school, tells people where they are.
- Photography. Settings show how a photo was taken, which helps you learn and repeat it.
- Proof and organisation. Dates help sort photos and can support where and when a photo was taken, although EXIF can be edited, so it isn't proof on its own.
How to remove it
Use the EXIF remover. It deletes EXIF, XMP and IPTC data from up to 50 photos at once. JPG and PNG images keep their exact quality. See our guide to removing location from photos for phone settings that stop location being saved in the first place.
Try it now
See the hidden details stored in a photo: camera and lens, settings, date taken, GPS location, colour profile and more.
Open metadata viewer