How to Find the Metadata of a Photo

While photos help you look back to the past and treasure people, places, and experiences, metadata allows you to store and organize these images better. If you’re wondering how to find the metadata of photos, you’ve landed on the right article! Read on to see the different ways to access metadata from different devices.

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Learning About Photo Metadata

The metadata of a photo refers to the details related to the specific image file. These include the file name, file size, the date the image was taken, author, camera type, themes, content type, photo dimensions, and more relevant information. 

With all these details, you can organize and maintain the image files quickly and efficiently. You can retrieve them easily too as you sort them based on more specific categories or groups.      

Finding the MetaData of a Photo

Given that metadata allows you to take control of your photos, it’s vital to learn how to view them on your PC or mobile device. 

iPhone

While there are several types of metadata, the one you’ll most likely use is exchangeable image file format (EXIF) data. They’re created once you take a picture with your camera or mobile device. Here’s how you can find the metadata: 

1. Go to the Photos app. Then, locate the photo with the metadata you want to view.
2. Tap on the share icon found at the bottom left of the picture. 
3. Scroll down and then choose Save to Files.
4. Pick a specific location or folder for the image and tap on Save. 
5. Go back to the home screen and open the Files folder. 
6. Find the image you saved and then long-press on it, so you’ll see a pop-up menu.   
7. From the menu, choose Info. Here, you’ll see various information regarding the image, such as the date it was created and last opened, size, and more. 
8. To view more detailed metadata, scroll down after tapping Show More. Tap Done once you’ve checked all details.

You can also use third-party apps to view the image metadata. These include Exif MetaData, Photo Investigator, MetaData Remover, and HashPhotos.

Android

Finding hidden information on Androids is a straightforward process if you’re using an Android device, you can access the data with Google Photos. Simply follow these steps:

1. Go to Google Photos, locate the image for which you want to view the metadata, and then tap on it.
2. At the upper right portion of the screen, tap on the three dots. 
3. Check Details. 

You will then see the image type, size, resolution, and dimension. The date and time the image was created are also provided. Even the information about the camera is given. 

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Windows 

If you want to check the image metadata on a Windows PC, perform the following: 

1. Right-click on the specific photo.  
2. Select Properties located at the bottom part of the pop-up menu. 
3. Click on Details. 

You’ll see details like date taken, program name, copyright details, image dimensions, resolution, and compression. 

Mac

To access the metadata of photos on a Mac, use the Finder app and follow these steps: 

1. Locate the photo for which you want to view more information and right-click on it. 
2. In the drop-down menu, choose Get Info. 

In the Info tab, you’ll find general information, like the phototype, size, and location. Then, the More Info section allows you to view the camera type and model, photo dimensions, and camera settings.

Using the Preview app, you can also check more metadata of images, including focal length, exposure time, color space, and flash. Here’s how you can view them on Mac: 

1. Right-click on the image after locating it. 
2. Select Open With and Preview. 
3. On the top menu, choose Tools and then Show Inspector.  
4. Click on the “i” icon, so you can view the Info tab.

Find Photo Metadata and More With Social Catfish

Viewing the metadata of photos is beneficial — from sorting, organizing, to knowing the copyright information. At Social Catfish, we also want you to help verify people’s identities using photos. Simply upload the image, and we’ll get the most accurate results for you!