Image Metadata Viewer

EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format. It is a standard specification for the format of image files used by digital cameras, smartphones, and scanners. EXIF data is a block of metadata embedded directly inside an image file (most commonly JPG/JPEG) that records information about the conditions under which the image was captured.

The EXIF standard was developed by the Japan Electronic Industries Development Association (JEIDA) in the 1990s and has since become the universal standard for embedding metadata in digital photographs. When you press the shutter button on a camera or tap the capture button on your phone, the device automatically writes dozens of data fields into the file alongside the pixel data.

Common EXIF fields include the camera make and model, lens model and focal length, shutter speed and aperture (f-stop) used for the exposure, ISO sensitivity, date and time (from the device clock), and - if GPS was enabled - latitude and longitude coordinates accurate to within a few meters. More advanced cameras also record fields like flash status, metering mode, white balance, color space, and exposure compensation.

EXIF data is invaluable for photographers reviewing their technique (seeing exactly what settings produced a particular result), for organizing photo libraries by date or location, and for forensic and legal purposes where establishing the provenance of an image matters. However, it also represents a significant privacy risk when photos are shared without stripping the metadata first - see the warning above. After reviewing your metadata, use the Photo Editor to crop, resize, and export a clean copy of your image. You can also check the aspect ratio of your image's pixel dimensions with the Aspect Ratio Calculator, or estimate what the file would weigh in a different format with the File Size Calculator.