What is EXIF metadata?

EXIF metadata is information embedded in image files by digital cameras and smartphones, including camera settings, timestamps, GPS location, and more.

How can I view or edit EXIF data?

You can use EXIFEditor.io to view and edit EXIF metadata directly in your browser, with no upload required.

Is EXIF data a privacy risk?

EXIF data can include sensitive information such as GPS location. Always review and remove EXIF data before sharing images online if privacy is a concern.

EXIFEditor.io | Complete EXIF Metadata Guide & Reference

What is EXIF Data?

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a standard that specifies the formats for images, sound, and ancillary tags used by digital cameras (including smartphones) and other systems. Introduced by JEIDA in 1995 and now maintained by JEITA, EXIF embeds metadata directly within image files, most commonly JPEG, TIFF, and some RAW formats.

Stores information such as camera make/model, exposure settings, date/time, GPS location, and more.
Helps organize, search, and display image details in software and online platforms.
EXIF data is written automatically by the camera or device at the time of capture.
EXIF can include sensitive information (like location), which may pose privacy risks if shared online.
EXIF is not a file format itself, but a metadata standard embedded in image files.

EXIF is widely supported by image viewers, editors, and web services. It is essential for photographers, archivists, and anyone managing digital images.

EXIF Tag Reference

Tag (Hex)	Name	IFD	Type	Values
0x0100	ImageWidth	0th	SHORT/LONG	Integer
0x0101	ImageLength	0th	SHORT/LONG	Integer
0x0102	BitsPerSample	0th	SHORT	Typically 8,8,8
0x0103	Compression	0th	SHORT	1=Uncompressed, 6=JPEG
0x0106	PhotometricInterpretation	0th	SHORT	2=RGB, 6=YCbCr
0x0112	Orientation	0th	SHORT	1,3,6,8 (rotation)
0x0115	SamplesPerPixel	0th	SHORT	Typically 3
0x011A	XResolution	0th	RATIONAL	e.g. 72/1
0x011B	YResolution	0th	RATIONAL	e.g. 72/1
0x0128	ResolutionUnit	0th	SHORT	2=Inch, 3=Centimeter
0x0131	Software	0th	ASCII	Free text
0x0132	DateTime	0th	ASCII	YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS
0x010E	ImageDescription	0th	ASCII	Free text
0x010F	Make	0th	ASCII	Camera brand
0x0110	Model	0th	ASCII	Camera model
0x013B	Artist	0th	ASCII	Free text
0x8298	Copyright	0th	ASCII	Copyright info
0x8769	ExifIFDPointer	0th	LONG	Points to ExifIFD
0x8825	GPSInfoIFDPointer	0th	LONG	Points to GPSIFD
0x9000	ExifVersion	Exif	UNDEFINED	e.g. 0230
0xA000	FlashpixVersion	Exif	UNDEFINED	e.g. 0100
0xA001	ColorSpace	Exif	SHORT	1=sRGB, 65535=Uncalibrated
0xA002	PixelXDimension	Exif	LONG	Width in pixels
0xA003	PixelYDimension	Exif	LONG	Height in pixels
0x9101	ComponentsConfiguration	Exif	UNDEFINED	Layout of components
0x9102	CompressedBitsPerPixel	Exif	RATIONAL	Compression ratio
0x9201	ShutterSpeedValue	Exif	SRATIONAL	APEX units
0x9202	ApertureValue	Exif	RATIONAL	APEX units
0x9203	BrightnessValue	Exif	SRATIONAL	APEX units
0x9204	ExposureBiasValue	Exif	SRATIONAL	Exposure compensation
0x9205	MaxApertureValue	Exif	RATIONAL	Max aperture APEX
0x9206	SubjectDistance	Exif	RATIONAL	Distance in meters
0x9207	MeteringMode	Exif	SHORT	0-255, 1=Avg, 2=Center, 3=Spot...
0x9208	LightSource	Exif	SHORT	0=Unknown, 1=Daylight...
0x9209	Flash	Exif	SHORT	Bitmask
0x920A	FocalLength	Exif	RATIONAL	e.g. 50mm
0x927C	MakerNote	Exif	UNDEFINED	Proprietary
0x9286	UserComment	Exif	UNDEFINED	Free text
0x9290	SubSecTime	Exif	ASCII	Sub-seconds
0x9291	SubSecTimeOriginal	Exif	ASCII	Sub-seconds original
0x9292	SubSecTimeDigitized	Exif	ASCII	Sub-seconds digitized
0xA004	RelatedSoundFile	Exif	ASCII	Related audio file
0xA005	InteroperabilityIFDPointer	Exif	LONG	Points to IFD
0xA20E	FocalPlaneXResolution	Exif	RATIONAL	dpi
0xA20F	FocalPlaneYResolution	Exif	RATIONAL	dpi
0xA210	FocalPlaneResolutionUnit	Exif	SHORT	2=Inch, 3=cm
0xA215	ExposureIndex	Exif	RATIONAL	-
0xA217	SensingMethod	Exif	SHORT	1=Not defined, 2=One-chip
0xA300	FileSource	Exif	UNDEFINED	3=Digital Camera
0xA301	SceneType	Exif	UNDEFINED	1=Direct capture
0xA302	CFAPattern	Exif	UNDEFINED	Color Filter Array
0xA401	CustomRendered	Exif	SHORT	0=Normal, 1=Custom
0xA402	ExposureMode	Exif	SHORT	0=Auto, 1=Manual
0xA403	WhiteBalance	Exif	SHORT	0=Auto, 1=Manual
0xA404	DigitalZoomRatio	Exif	RATIONAL	-
0xA405	FocalLengthIn35mmFilm	Exif	SHORT	mm
0xA406	SceneCaptureType	Exif	SHORT	0=Standard, 1=Landscape
0xA407	GainControl	Exif	SHORT	0=None, 1=Low gain up...
0xA408	Contrast	Exif	SHORT	0=Normal, 1=Soft
0xA409	Saturation	Exif	SHORT	0=Normal, 1=Low
0xA40A	Sharpness	Exif	SHORT	0=Normal, 1=Soft
0xA40C	SubjectDistanceRange	Exif	SHORT	0=Unknown, 1=Macro
0x0001	InteroperabilityIndex	Interop	ASCII	"R98"
0x0002	InteroperabilityVersion	Interop	UNDEFINED	Version
0x0000	GPSVersionID	GPS	BYTE	e.g. 2.2.0.0
0x0001	GPSLatitudeRef	GPS	ASCII	N or S
0x0002	GPSLatitude	GPS	RATIONAL[3]	DMS format
0x0003	GPSLongitudeRef	GPS	ASCII	E or W
0x0004	GPSLongitude	GPS	RATIONAL[3]	DMS format
0x0005	GPSAltitudeRef	GPS	BYTE	0=Above, 1=Below
0x0006	GPSAltitude	GPS	RATIONAL	Meters
0x0007	GPSTimeStamp	GPS	RATIONAL[3]	UTC time
0x0008	GPSSatellites	GPS	ASCII	Satellite data
0x0009	GPSStatus	GPS	ASCII	A=Active, V=Void
0x000A	GPSMeasureMode	GPS	ASCII	2=2D, 3=3D
0x000B	GPSDOP	GPS	RATIONAL	Precision
0x000C	GPSSpeedRef	GPS	ASCII	K/M/N
0x000D	GPSSpeed	GPS	RATIONAL	Speed
0x000E	GPSTrackRef	GPS	ASCII	T/M
0x000F	GPSTrack	GPS	RATIONAL	Track angle
0x0010	GPSImgDirectionRef	GPS	ASCII	T/M
0x0011	GPSImgDirection	GPS	RATIONAL	Direction
0x0012	GPSMapDatum	GPS	ASCII	Datum (e.g. WGS-84)
0x0013	GPSDestLatitudeRef	GPS	ASCII	N/S
0x0014	GPSDestLatitude	GPS	RATIONAL[3]	-
0x0015	GPSDestLongitudeRef	GPS	ASCII	E/W
0x0016	GPSDestLongitude	GPS	RATIONAL[3]	-
0x0017	GPSDestBearingRef	GPS	ASCII	T/M
0x0018	GPSDestBearing	GPS	RATIONAL	-
0x0019	GPSDestDistanceRef	GPS	ASCII	K/M/N
0x001A	GPSDestDistance	GPS	RATIONAL	-
0x001B	GPSProcessingMethod	GPS	UNDEFINED	Free text
0x001C	GPSAreaInformation	GPS	UNDEFINED	Free text
0x001D	GPSDateStamp	GPS	ASCII	YYYY:MM:DD
0x001E	GPSDifferential	GPS	SHORT	0=None, 1=Corrected
0x0111	StripOffsets	0th	LONG	Offsets to image data
0x0116	RowsPerStrip	0th	LONG	Rows per strip
0x0117	StripByteCounts	0th	LONG	Bytes per strip
0x011C	PlanarConfiguration	0th	SHORT	1=Chunky, 2=Planar
0x012D	TransferFunction	0th	SHORT	Color transfer curve
0x013E	WhitePoint	0th	RATIONAL[2]	White point chromaticity
0x013F	PrimaryChromaticities	0th	RATIONAL[6]	Primary chromaticities
0x0211	YCbCrCoefficients	0th	RATIONAL[3]	YCbCr coefficients
0x0212	YCbCrSubSampling	0th	SHORT[2]	e.g. 2,2
0x0213	YCbCrPositioning	0th	SHORT	1=Centered, 2=Co-sited
0x0214	ReferenceBlackWhite	0th	RATIONAL[6]	Reference black/white
0x0120	ImageDepth	0th	SHORT	Bits per component
0x0153	SampleFormat	0th	SHORT	1=Unsigned, 2=Signed, 3=Float
0x0156	TransferRange	0th	SHORT[6]	Transfer range
0x828D	CFARepeatPatternDim	Exif	SHORT[2]	CFA repeat pattern size
0x828E	CFAPattern (Alt)	Exif	UNDEFINED	Color Filter Array
0x0201	JPEGInterchangeFormat	1st	LONG	Thumbnail offset
0x0202	JPEGInterchangeFormatLength	1st	LONG	Thumbnail size

MIT Media Lab EXIF Reference

EXIF Standards

The Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) standard defines how metadata is embedded in image, audio, and video files, primarily for digital cameras and imaging devices. EXIF is based on the TIFF 6.0 file structure and is widely used in JPEG, TIFF, and some RAW formats. It is maintained by JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association).

File Formats Supported:
- JPEG (JFIF, DCF-compliant)
- TIFF (baseline and extended)
- WAV (audio, for voice memos)
- RIFF (for AVI video, less common)
- RAW (various vendor-specific implementations, e.g., CR2, NEF, ARW)
EXIF Structure:
- TIFF header (byte order, IFD pointers)
- 0th IFD (main image metadata)
- Exif SubIFD (detailed camera settings, exposure, etc.)
- GPS SubIFD (location data)
- Interop SubIFD (compatibility info)
- 1st IFD (thumbnail image and metadata)
- MakerNote (manufacturer-specific, proprietary data)
Tag Types & Data:
- Standard TIFF/EXIF tags (e.g., DateTime, Make, Model, Orientation, ExposureTime, FNumber, ISOSpeedRatings, GPSLatitude, GPSLongitude, etc.)
- Data types: BYTE, ASCII, SHORT, LONG, RATIONAL, UNDEFINED, SRATIONAL
- Tags are extensible; vendors can add custom tags (e.g., MakerNote, proprietary RAW tags)
Major EXIF Versions:
- 2.1 (1998): Added thumbnails, more tags
- 2.2 ("Exif Print", 2002): Improved color management, print workflow, new tags for color space
- 2.3 (2010): Added GPS, face detection, scene capture type, and more
- 2.32 (2019): Latest version, clarifies tag usage, adds new tags for modern workflows
Compatibility & Interoperability:
- EXIF is designed for backward compatibility with TIFF and JPEG standards
- DCF (Design rule for Camera File system) builds on EXIF for file/folder naming and structure
- Interoperability issues can arise from proprietary MakerNote tags and RAW formats
- EXIF is often used alongside IPTC and XMP for richer metadata (especially in professional workflows)
Limitations:
- No built-in time zone or daylight saving support in date/time tags
- MakerNote fields are not standardized and may break when files are edited
- Limited support for non-image files (e.g., video, audio)
- Privacy risks: GPS, serial numbers, and user comments can expose sensitive data
Related Standards:
- DCF: File system and naming conventions for digital cameras
- IPTC/IIM & XMP: Additional metadata standards, often embedded alongside EXIF
- TIFF 6.0: Underlying file structure for EXIF

Technical: The official EXIF specification is published by JEITA. The standard is extensible, allowing manufacturers to add custom tags, but this can lead to compatibility issues. EXIF metadata is stored in IFDs (Image File Directories) and referenced by tag IDs. Data is typically stored in little-endian or big-endian byte order, as indicated by the TIFF header.

Official Standards: JEITA EXIF Standards (Official) · CIPA DC-008-Translation-2019-E (EXIF 2.32 PDF) · Wikipedia: EXIF · MIT Media Lab EXIF Guide

Editing EXIF Data

EXIF metadata can be edited to correct, anonymize, or enhance image information. Editing EXIF is possible with online tools, desktop software, command-line utilities, or by manually parsing and modifying the binary data.

Online Tools: EXIFEditor.io lets you view, edit, and remove EXIF data in your browser, with no upload required.
Desktop Software: Apps like ExifTool, XnView, Adobe Lightroom, and Darktable provide advanced EXIF editing and batch processing.
Command-Line: Exiftool (Phil Harvey) is the gold standard for scripting and automation.
Mobile Apps: Many iOS/Android apps allow basic EXIF editing and removal. Including EXIFEditor.io!

Manual Parsing & Editing of EXIF

For advanced users, EXIF can be parsed and edited at the binary level. This requires understanding the TIFF-based structure and tag layout:

Locate the EXIF Segment: In JPEG files, EXIF data is stored in the APP1 marker (0xFFE1). Use a hex editor to find the Exif\0\0 signature.
Parse the TIFF Header: The header specifies byte order (II for little-endian, MM for big-endian) and the offset to the first IFD (Image File Directory).
Read IFD Entries: Each IFD contains a count of entries, followed by 12-byte tag records: Tag ID (2 bytes), Type (2 bytes), Count (4 bytes), Value/Offset (4 bytes).
Follow Pointers: Some tags (e.g., ExifIFDPointer, GPSInfoIFDPointer) point to sub-IFDs with more tags.
Edit Tag Values: Change ASCII, SHORT, LONG, or RATIONAL values as needed. For ASCII, ensure null-termination. For RATIONAL, update both numerator and denominator.
Update Offsets: If you change the length of data (e.g., longer text), you must update offsets and possibly move data blocks.
Recalculate Checksums (if needed): Some formats or software may use checksums or padding—ensure file integrity.

Warning: Manual editing is risky—always back up your files. Corrupt EXIF can make images unreadable or cause software errors.

Best Practices

Always keep a backup of the original image before editing EXIF.
Use dedicated tools for batch operations or sensitive data removal (e.g., GPS, serial numbers).
Be aware of privacy implications—remove or anonymize EXIF before sharing images online.
Validate edited files with multiple viewers to ensure compatibility.

Resources & Further Reading

Official Standards: CIPA EXIF 2.32 (PDF) · JEITA EXIF Standards · Wikipedia: EXIF · MIT Media Lab EXIF Guide · EXIFEditor.io Online Tool

The Complete EXIF Guide

What is EXIF Data?

EXIF Structure

GPS & Location in EXIF

EXIF Tag Reference

Date & Time in EXIF

Camera Information in EXIF

Exposure & Camera Settings in EXIF

Thumbnails in EXIF

Date & Time in EXIF

Camera Information in EXIF

Exposure & Camera Settings in EXIF

Thumbnails in EXIF

Color & Image Data in EXIF

User Comments in EXIF

Maker Notes in EXIF

Privacy & Security in EXIF

History of EXIF

EXIF Standards

Editing EXIF Data

Manual Parsing & Editing of EXIF

Best Practices

Resources & Further Reading

EXIF Software & Tools

EXIF in RAW Formats

Limitations & Issues of EXIF

The Future of EXIF

Further Reading & Resources