How to View EXIF Metadata with exif.tools
Open exif.tools in your browser, add a file by dropping it onto the page, choosing it from your device, or pasting a link, then read the results in the Overview, Location, and All metadata sections. Files you add locally are processed in your browser and stay on your device; links load directly, with a proxy fallback if needed. This works for images, PDFs, documents, audio, video, and other file types the viewer accepts.
Adding a file
You have three ways to get a file into the viewer:
- Drop a file onto the page to get started.
- Choose a file from your device to inspect it.
- Paste a link — paste an image or file URL with Ctrl+V or ⌘V. Links load directly, with a proxy fallback if needed.
Local files stay on your device. If you paste a link, the viewer fetches it rather than reading a local copy, so the file has to be reachable at that URL.
Reading the results
Once a file loads, the viewer organizes what it finds into sections:
| Section | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Overview | Photo overview and document details |
| Location | Saved GPS coordinates, plotted on an OpenStreetMap map |
| All metadata | The full set of metadata tags read from the file |
The camera and lens panel reports aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and focal length when those values are saved. File details cover captured date, file size, image size, and file type. Capture time is shown as saved, without guessing a time zone.
If no GPS coordinates are present, the Location section says so rather than showing an empty map. When coordinates are found, you can open them in OpenStreetMap.
Exporting or starting over
Two controls sit alongside the results:
- Export metadata — download the metadata the viewer read.
- Start over — clear the current file and load another.
Your original file is left unchanged.
What the metadata does and does not tell you
The origin and signing information section reports recorded metadata claims, not a verified signature. These claims can include source ingredients, but they do not establish that the final image is authentic or free of AI edits. The viewer points you to external verification for Content Credentials.
One specific limit worth knowing: SynthID watermarks are embedded in image pixels, so ExifTool-style metadata reading cannot detect them. The viewer suggests opening Gemini, attaching the image yourself, and asking it to check for a SynthID watermark. A missing watermark does not prove an image is real.
Before you share a file
Location data can reveal personal places. If a photo carries saved GPS coordinates, remove them before sharing it publicly. The viewer flags this directly in the Location section.
Common snags
- A pasted link fails to load. The viewer tries the link directly and falls back to a proxy; if both fail, the file may not be publicly reachable.
- No GPS shown. The file simply has no saved coordinates in the metadata read so far — not every camera or app writes them.
- Camera fields are blank. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and focal length only appear if the file saved them; screenshots and edited exports often strip them.
- You expected a SynthID result. Metadata tools cannot read pixel-embedded watermarks; use the external check the viewer links to.