Image Metadata Reader

Image metadata is extra information stored inside or alongside an image file. Think of it like a label on a box: the box is the picture (pixels), and the label describes where it came from, when it was made, and sometimes how. This tool reads that label so you can inspect it without opening the file in a photo editor.

Common examples: “This photo was taken on 2024-03-15 at 14:32”, “Shot with iPhone 15 Pro, 24mm, f/1.8”, or “Generated with Stable Diffusion, prompt: …”. None of that changes how the image looks; it just adds context that cameras, phones, and software often write automatically.

Every image file has at least some basic metadata that the browser or OS can read: dimensions (width × height in pixels), file size (e.g. 2.4 MB), file type (e.g. image/jpeg, image/png), and last modified date. This tool always shows these when available.

Dimensions tell you resolution; file size and type matter for web performance and compatibility. Last modified is the timestamp on the file itself (often close to capture or export time, but not always).

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a standard used mainly in JPEG and TIFF. Cameras and phones write it when you take a photo. It can include the exact date and time of capture, camera and lens model, exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), and sometimes GPS coordinates. Screenshots, downloaded images, or heavily processed exports often have little or no EXIF.

Photographers use EXIF to compare shots and reproduce settings; developers use it for sorting by date, geotagging, or building galleries. Because it can reveal location and device, many services remove EXIF when you upload (e.g. social networks, messaging apps).

PNG files can store optional text chunks (e.g. tEXt, iTXt). Each chunk has a keyword and a value. There is no fixed list: software can write anything (author, description, software name, or custom keys like Parameters, Comment).

Design tools and AI image generators often store prompts, workflow notes, or software names in PNG text. That makes it easy to trace how an image was created or to keep a prompt with the file. This tool lists all such chunks it can read (some encodings or compressed iTXt may not be shown).

It is normal for uploaded or shared images to have no EXIF or only basic file info. Social networks, messaging apps, and many CDNs strip metadata to reduce size and protect privacy (e.g. GPS). Screenshots usually contain no camera EXIF. Re-exported or compressed images may drop or alter metadata. If this tool shows “No readable metadata” or only dimensions and file size, that does not mean the tool is broken—it means the file no longer carries that data.

To see rich EXIF, use a photo taken directly from a camera or phone and not re-saved by a service that strips it. To see PNG text, use a PNG that was exported by software that writes those chunks (e.g. some design or AI tools).