What is EXIF?
Learn what EXIF data is, what it contains and how cameras and phones store metadata in your photos.
Read the guideEXIF Viewer
Free toolView photo metadata and camera information to understand how an image was taken.
A clearer web for a brighter internet.
- Instant insightsRead EXIF in seconds
- Better contextUnderstand your images
- More controlCheck and protect privacy
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Supports JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC and RAW · Max 20 MB per image
Sample These are the details of a sample image so you can see the tool in action. Just upload your own photo, there's no need to clear this first, and it replaces the sample automatically.
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Get the most out of EXIF data and understand what it can tell you.
Privacy and location data
Photos can include location, device and personal details. Learn how to protect your privacy before sharing.
See privacy tipsFAQs
Answers to common questions about EXIF data, GPS location and supported file formats.
View FAQsWhat EXIF data is and how to read it
EXIF, short for Exchangeable Image File Format, is the block of metadata a camera or phone writes into a photo when you take it. It records how the shot was made: the camera model and lens, the exposure time, aperture, ISO and focal length, the date and time, and often the GPS coordinates of where you stood. Drop a photo here and the viewer reads that data in your browser and lays it out in plain language, with nothing uploaded to a server.
Reading EXIF is useful for more than curiosity. Photographers check it to learn which settings produced a good result, buyers verify that a listing photo is recent and genuine, and editors confirm which lens or body shot a frame. Because the tool runs locally, you can inspect sensitive or client images without sending them anywhere, which matters when the metadata itself may contain a home address or a precise location.
How to check a photo's metadata
To check a photo's metadata, drag it onto the page or use the upload button, and this picture metadata reader lays every field out in seconds, with no account and no upload. It works as an EXIF photo viewer for JPEGs straight from a camera, and reads WebP, HEIC and common RAW files too.
If you have wondered how to view photo metadata without desktop software, the process is simple: drop the file and read the panel. Here is what the main fields tell you:
- Camera and lens — the make, model and lens that shot the frame.
- Exposure, aperture and ISO — the settings behind the look, useful for learning or verifying a shot.
- Focal length — how wide or tight the lens was.
- Date and time — when the photo was actually taken, which helps confirm a listing is recent.
- GPS location — the coordinates where the shot was made, shown on a map when present.
- File type and dimensions — the format and pixel size, read from the file itself.
EXIF, GPS and your privacy
The part of EXIF that surprises people most is location. Many phones embed GPS coordinates in every photo by default, so an image shared online can quietly reveal where you live, work or travel. This viewer shows any GPS data an image carries and links it to a map, so you can see exactly what a photo would expose before you post it. If you find coordinates you did not expect, that is your cue to strip the metadata first.
Most social platforms remove EXIF when you upload, but files shared directly, by email, messaging or a download link, usually keep it intact. A safe habit is to check any image you are about to publish from your own site or send to a stranger, and remove location data when it is not needed. Keeping EXIF is fine when you want to preserve shooting details for a portfolio; removing it is wiser when privacy is the priority.
Which formats carry EXIF
EXIF is most complete in JPEG files straight from a camera or phone, and in RAW formats like HEIC, CR2, NEF and DNG that professionals shoot. WebP can carry EXIF too. PNG, by contrast, rarely stores camera metadata, which is why screenshots and many edited or exported images show little or nothing here. If a photo returns no EXIF, it usually means the format does not store it or the data was stripped during editing or upload, not that the tool failed.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my image show no EXIF data?
Screenshots, PNGs and images that have been edited, exported or uploaded to a social platform often have their metadata removed. That is expected. Original photos straight from a camera or phone carry the most complete EXIF.
Can I see where a photo was taken?
If the image contains GPS coordinates, the viewer shows them and links to a map. Many photos have no location data, either because it was never recorded or because it was stripped before you received the file.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. The viewer reads metadata entirely in your browser, so your images and their data never leave your device. That makes it safe for private and client photos.
How do I remove EXIF data?
Re-saving an image through an editor usually drops most metadata, and our other image tools re-encode images without carrying EXIF forward. Removing location data before sharing is a good privacy habit.