EXIF Data Viewer v2.0

See every detail hidden in your files: camera settings, the date taken, and GPS location on a map. Works with photos (JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, TIFF, RAW) right in your browser, plus video and PDF.

Drop a file here, or choose one to read its metadata

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Images are read in your browser and never uploaded. Video and PDF are read on our server, then deleted right after.

Images: no size limit · Video and PDF: up to 210 MB

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You can also paste an image (Ctrl/Cmd + V).

Generating preview…

GPS Location

Camera settings

Make
Model
Lens
Focal length
Aperture
Shutter speed
ISO
Flash

File info

File name
File size
File type
MIME type
Last modified

EXIF data

XMP data

IPTC data

Color profile (ICC)

Copy all Download JSON Download CSV Remove EXIF data Try another file

About EXIF Data Viewer

An EXIF data viewer reads the hidden metadata baked into a photo and shows it in plain language: the camera and lens used, the exact date and time taken, the exposure settings, and the GPS location where the shot was captured. ToolsPivot's EXIF Data Viewer reads all of this directly in your browser, so the photo never leaves your device, and it handles the formats older viewers choke on, including iPhone HEIC files and RAW files from every major camera brand.

What the EXIF Data Viewer Reads

The viewer parses every metadata block in an image and sorts it into readable sections instead of one raw dump. It pulls the camera data (make, model, lens, focal length, aperture, shutter, ISO, flash), the date taken, and GPS coordinates, then goes into the layers most tools skip: XMP editing history, IPTC captions and copyright, and the ICC color profile. Everything is parsed locally by an in-browser engine, so a 40 MB RAW file is read on your machine, not queued on a server, with a one-click path to the EXIF data remover once you've seen what's inside.

Photographers, journalists, OSINT researchers, and privacy-minded users reach for this data every day. A photographer studies the exposure settings behind a shot they admire. A researcher verifies where and when an image was captured. Someone about to post vacation photos checks whether their home or hotel coordinates are riding along inside the file.

The core problem it solves is visibility. Most people have no idea their photos carry a street-level GPS pin, an edit trail, or a device serial number until a tool surfaces it. ToolsPivot turns that invisible layer into a clear report in about a second.

Key Benefits

• Nothing leaves your browser. File uploads, drag-and-drop, and clipboard paste are parsed on your own device, so the image is never sent to or stored on a server.
• Reads iPhone and pro-camera files. HEIC, HEIF, WebP, TIFF, and RAW formats from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, and Olympus all parse, not just plain JPEG.
• GPS on a real map. When a photo carries coordinates, they drop as a pin on an interactive map with an "Open in Google Maps" link, answering the "where was this taken" question instantly.
• Depth, not just camera tags. Separate cards break out XMP, IPTC, and ICC data, so you see edit history, copyright, and color profile alongside the basics.
• Four ways to load an image. File picker, drag-and-drop, paste from clipboard, or fetch from a URL, whichever fits how you work.
• Export in one click. Copy everything, or download the full report as JSON or CSV, extended metadata included.
• No signup, no caps, no paywall. Read as many images as you want without an account, a usage limit, or GPS data locked behind a premium tier.
• A built-in exit. One button hands you straight to the metadata remover to strip everything once you've reviewed it.

Core Features

• Client-side parsing engine. Metadata is read by a local in-browser parser in segmented mode, keeping each block (EXIF, GPS, XMP, IPTC, ICC, maker notes) distinct and human-readable.
• Camera settings card. Make, model, lens, focal length, aperture as an f-stop, shutter as a 1/x fraction, ISO, and flash status, laid out the way a photographer reads them.
• Interactive GPS map. Coordinates render on an OpenStreetMap-based map with a pin, the exact latitude and longitude, and a direct Google Maps link.
• HEIC live preview. Because browsers cannot display HEIC natively, the tool decodes iPhone HEIC and HEIF files to a preview image on the fly, with a clean fallback when a format still cannot render.
• Full EXIF table. Every readable tag the file contains beyond the summary card, including orientation, white balance, metering mode, and software history.
• XMP, IPTC, and ICC sections. Dedicated cards for Adobe edit history, editorial captions and copyright, and the embedded color profile.
• Date-taken summary strip. A quick header shows date taken, camera, and lens at a glance before you dig into the tables.
• JSON and CSV export. Download the complete report, extended metadata included, for records, scripts, or client documentation.
• Clipboard and URL input. Paste a screenshot straight from your clipboard, or pull a remote image by URL through a safe server proxy.
• 18-language interface. The full UI is translated, so the tool reads naturally for a global audience.

How It Works

1. Load your image. Drop a file, choose one, paste from your clipboard, or paste a URL. Everything except URL mode is read entirely on your device.
2. Let it parse. ToolsPivot reads the file's metadata blocks in the browser and translates the raw keys and values into plain language.
3. Read the summary. The top strip shows date taken, camera, and lens, with the full camera-settings card right below it.
4. Check the map. If GPS data exists, a pin appears on the map with the coordinates and a Google Maps link.
5. Go deeper or export. Expand the full EXIF, XMP, IPTC, and ICC sections, then copy the data or download it as JSON or CSV.

Reads Video and PDF, Not Just Photos

Most metadata viewers stop at images, but this one goes further. Drop in a video or a PDF and you get the same clear report you get for photos.

For video, the viewer handles MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, MKV, and more. It surfaces when the clip was recorded, the device that shot it, how long it runs, and where it was filmed. If the video has GPS baked in, that location drops onto the same interactive map you get for photos.

For PDFs, it reads the author, the title, the software that created the file, and the creation and last-edit dates. That's useful when you need to know where a document actually came from, or whether it was changed after it was first made.

The privacy model shifts for these two formats. Photos are always read on your own device, so JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, TIFF, and RAW files are never uploaded and never stored. Video and PDF work differently because browsers cannot read inside those files: they're sent to the server, parsed there, and deleted right after, with nothing kept. Images carry no size limit since they stay local, while video and PDF have a size cap shown on the tool itself.

Real-World Use Cases

Auditing photos before you publish

Context: You've edited 50 travel shots and you're about to post them to a blog or portfolio. Process:

• Load each image and scan the GPS card first.
• Flag any file that pins to your home, hotel, or a private address.
• Send the flagged files to the metadata remover to strip the coordinates.

Result: Your location stays private, and if you also need to crop images online for your layout, you do that after the cleanup.

Learning from a photo you admire

Context: You want to reproduce the look of a great shot on your own camera. Process:

• Load the image and read the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO from the camera card.
• Note the lens and focal length used.
• Match those settings on your next shoot.

Result: Reviewing the EXIF of hundreds of images sharpens your eye for what works in each lighting condition, and an image compressor then prepares your own shots for fast web loading.

Checking whether an image is real or AI-generated

Context: A "photo" a client sent looks off, with flat lighting and a background that's too clean. Process:

• Load the file and look at the camera settings card.
• Check for a camera model, lens, and capture timestamp.
• Treat an empty card as a warning sign.

Result: Authentic camera files almost always carry 15 or more EXIF fields and a consistent timestamp chain, so a blank camera section is worth investigating further with a reverse image search.

Confirming a color profile before a print job

Context: You're about to send an export to a printer or a client and want the colors to hold. Process:

• Load the file and open the ICC card.
• Confirm whether the profile is sRGB or Adobe RGB.
• Flag a mismatch before it reaches print.

Result: A wrong profile is a common cause of colors shifting between screen and paper, and if you're matching those exact colors in a design, you can grab the values with a color picker or convert them with an RGB to Hex converter.

EXIF, IPTC, and XMP: What Each Layer Holds

Digital photos can carry three different kinds of embedded metadata, and they are not the same thing. EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is the technical data the camera writes automatically: aperture, shutter speed, ISO, GPS, and device info. You don't control what goes in here. The camera decides.

IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) data is the editorial layer. Photojournalists and agencies use it to tag images with captions, keywords, copyright notices, and photographer credits, usually written by hand through software like Adobe Bridge.

XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) is Adobe's format for editing history and custom properties. When you adjust exposure or color in Lightroom and export a JPEG, those edit parameters get written into the file as XMP. The viewer reads all three when they exist, so you see how the photo was shot, who owns it, and how it was edited in one report. For anyone running a site heavy with images, a website SEO checker can then tell you whether oversized embedded metadata is slowing your pages down.

Which Platforms Keep or Strip EXIF Data

Not every photo online will have its EXIF intact. Social platforms and messaging apps treat metadata differently, and knowing which strip it saves you from troubleshooting empty results.

If you download an image from Facebook or Instagram and the viewer shows almost nothing, the platform already stripped it during upload. The original file on the photographer's device still holds everything. When you're preparing client screenshots from a website screenshot generator, it's worth checking those too, since screenshots can still embed a device name, an operating system version, and a creation timestamp even without camera EXIF.

How ToolsPivot's Viewer Compares

Plenty of free EXIF viewers exist, and the better ones now read files in the browser too. Where ToolsPivot's viewer earns its place is the combination in one tool: broad format support, a GPS map, the deeper XMP, IPTC, and ICC layers, four input methods, one-click export, and a direct handoff to strip metadata, all with no signup, no usage cap, and no GPS data gated behind an account.

Several newer dedicated viewers match some of these features individually. The practical difference is having them together, free, with a clear next step to remove the data, so you don't have to bounce between three separate sites to view, verify, and clean one photo. If you need placeholder files while building a layout around your cleaned images, a dummy image generator covers that.

Honest Limitations

Knowing what the tool does not do is part of using it well.

• Maker notes are not decoded. The viewer flags vendor-proprietary maker notes from Canon, Nikon, and others as present, but does not decode their internal fields, so data like shutter count may not appear.
• PNG and WebP only carry EXIF if it was embedded at capture. Many PNGs and most screenshots contain little or no camera metadata because none was written in the first place.
• Some inputs use the server. Photos loaded by file, drag, or paste stay fully local. Three paths do reach a server: fetching a remote image by URL, which routes through a safe SSRF-guarded proxy that rejects private addresses, checks the content type, and caps size, and reading video or PDF files, which browsers cannot parse in the page. Server-processed files are read and then deleted, never stored.
• Metadata can be edited. EXIF is useful evidence, not proof. Timestamps, GPS, and camera fields can all be altered, so treat it as supporting information and cross-check anything legal or forensic.
• Not a full forensic suite. For deep proprietary tags or video, audio, and document formats, a dedicated engine like ExifTool reads more. This viewer covers the fields most people need for photos, in a zero-install browser tool. When privacy is the goal, pairing it with a privacy policy generator helps you document how your own site handles the images visitors upload.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the EXIF Data Viewer free to use?

Yes, it's completely free with no usage limits. You can read as many images as you need without creating an account or paying for a premium plan.

Are my photos uploaded anywhere?

No, not for file, drag-drop, or paste input. Those images are parsed entirely in your browser and never sent to or stored on a server. Only the "from URL" option touches a server, through a guarded proxy, because browsers block reading a remote image directly.

Are video and PDF files uploaded to a server?

Yes, unlike photos. Browsers cannot read inside video or PDF files, so those are sent to the server, parsed, and deleted immediately with nothing stored. Image files like JPG, PNG, HEIC, and RAW are always read locally and never leave your device.

Can I view EXIF data from a photo URL?

Yes. Paste an image URL and the tool fetches it through a safe server proxy, then parses the metadata. You can also drop, choose, or paste an image if you already have the file on your device.

Does it work with iPhone HEIC photos?

Yes. The viewer reads HEIC and HEIF metadata and decodes a preview so you can see the image, which most JPEG-only tools cannot do with iPhone files.

Which RAW formats are supported?

The viewer reads Canon CR2 and CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fuji RAF, Panasonic RW2, Olympus ORF, and Adobe DNG. Metadata reads for all of them, and previews appear for the formats your browser can render.

Can I view metadata from a video or PDF?

Yes. Alongside photos, the viewer reads video files such as MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, and MKV, plus PDF documents. For video you get the recording date, device, duration, and GPS location if present; for PDFs you get the author, title, creating software, and the creation and edit dates.

Why does my photo show no EXIF data?

Several things cause empty results. Screenshots carry no camera EXIF because no lens was involved, social platforms like Facebook and Instagram strip metadata on upload, and some editing apps remove it on export.

Can EXIF data reveal my home address?

Yes, if your phone's GPS was active when you took the photo. Smartphones embed latitude and longitude accurate to within a few meters, so a photo taken indoors can expose your street address. Always check images before sharing and strip the location data first.

Can I tell if a photo is AI-generated from its EXIF?

EXIF gives you strong clues. Real camera files contain a specific model, lens, focal length, and a chain of timestamps, while AI-generated images usually lack these fields or carry only generic software tags. An empty camera section is a red flag worth investigating.

What's the difference between EXIF, IPTC, and XMP?

EXIF is the technical camera data written at capture, like aperture, ISO, and GPS. IPTC is the editorial layer for captions, keywords, and copyright. XMP stores editing history from software like Lightroom. The viewer reads all three when they're present.

Can I export the metadata?

Yes. You can copy everything to your clipboard or download the full report as JSON or CSV, and both exports include the extended XMP, IPTC, and ICC data, not just the basic EXIF tags.

Is EXIF data reliable for legal purposes?

EXIF is useful supporting evidence, but it can be edited with free software. Timestamps, GPS coordinates, and camera fields can all be altered, so courts and investigators treat it as one piece of a larger picture rather than definitive proof.

How do I remove EXIF data after viewing it?

Use the "Remove EXIF data" button, which hands you to the metadata remover. It strips the embedded data while keeping the visual quality intact. If the orientation tag was causing display issues, you can also rotate the image online afterward.

Do I need to install anything?

No installation or downloads are needed. The viewer runs entirely in your web browser on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, across desktop and mobile. You can also convert an image to Base64 from the same image toolkit when you need to embed it in code.

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