Reading EXIF data…
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EXIF Viewer

Upload a photo and discover the camera settings behind every shot

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Drag & drop your photo here, or click to upload
Supports JPG / PNG / HEIC / WebP / TIFF · Up to 50MB
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What Is EXIF Data?

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is the metadata your camera or phone writes into every JPEG, HEIC, TIFF and RAW file at the moment of exposure. It records exactly how a photo was taken, which makes it the fastest way to learn why a shot worked — or why it did not. This EXIF viewer reads that metadata locally and organizes it into four clear groups:

  • Camera and lens: manufacturer, camera model, lens model, date and time, software and copyright.
  • Exposure settings: aperture (f-number), shutter speed, ISO, focal length, 35 mm equivalent focal length, exposure compensation, exposure program, metering mode, flash, white balance and color space.
  • GPS location: latitude, longitude and altitude, with direct links to Google Maps and OpenStreetMap when the coordinates exist.
  • Image specs: pixel dimensions, approximate megapixels and orientation/rotation flag.

How to Use This EXIF Viewer

  • Upload any photo. Drag and drop an image onto the upload zone, click to browse your files, or paste an image directly from the clipboard with Ctrl/⌘+V. JPG, PNG, HEIC, WebP and TIFF are supported, up to 50 MB.
  • Read the cards. Camera settings appear in the right-hand panel with a plain-English interpretation of every value — what f/2.8 means for depth of field, whether 1/30 s is safe handheld, and so on.
  • Open the location. Photos with embedded GPS show clickable map links.
  • Copy the settings. Use the “Copy Camera Settings” button to grab a clean text summary for notebooks, shot logs or sharing with a mentor.

Everything runs in your browser. The file never leaves your device, there is no server upload, and closing the tab erases all traces — which also makes the tool safe for confidential client work.

Understanding the Metadata Fields

Aperture (f-number)

Written as FNumber, the f-number controls the lens opening. Values such as f/1.8 give a shallow depth of field and strong background blur; f/11 keeps whole landscapes sharp.

Shutter speed (ExposureTime)

Stored as a fraction of a second. Fast values such as 1/1000 s freeze action; slow values such as 2 s blur moving water — and usually require a tripod.

ISO (ISOSpeedRatings)

The sensor’s gain setting. ISO 100–200 is clean on most cameras; ISO 3200 and above starts to show visible noise, depending on sensor size and generation.

Focal length and 35 mm equivalent

FocalLength is the real lens length; FocalLengthIn35mmFilm converts it to the full-frame equivalent so you can compare framing across crop-sensor and phone cameras.

GPS coordinates

Stored as degrees, minutes and seconds with N/S and E/W reference tags. The viewer converts them to decimal coordinates — useful for mapping shooting locations, but worth removing before sharing photos of your home.

How to Learn Photography From EXIF Data

Metadata is a free photography course hidden inside your own photos. When an image works, open it here and note the aperture, shutter speed, ISO and focal length — then deliberately reproduce that combination in similar light. When an image fails, the same four values usually explain it: shutter too slow for the focal length (motion blur), aperture too wide at close distance (missed focus), or ISO too high for the scene (noise).

Studying other photographers’ EXIF — on photo sites that preserve metadata — reveals how professionals handle specific situations, from wildlife shutter speeds to portrait apertures. Combined with our ND filter calculator, depth of field calculator and drone GSD calculator, you can move from reading settings to planning them before you press the shutter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is EXIF data in a photo?
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) data is metadata embedded by the camera or phone when the photo is taken. It includes camera make and model, lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length, shooting date and time, white balance, metering mode, flash status and — when location services are enabled — GPS coordinates. This viewer reads those tags directly in your browser and explains each setting in plain language.
Are my photos uploaded to a server?
No. This is a fully client-side EXIF viewer: the image is read by JavaScript running in your own browser and is never transmitted over the network. There is no upload step, no account and no server storage, which makes the tool suitable for private or client-confidential images. Everything is discarded when you close or refresh the tab.
Why does my photo show no EXIF data?
The most common reasons are that the image is a screenshot, it was saved from a messaging or social-media app (which strips metadata), it was re-exported or compressed by other software, or metadata was deliberately removed for privacy. Some phones also omit location tags when camera permission is denied. To keep EXIF intact, transfer the original file straight from the camera or phone rather than a re-shared copy.
Can I view EXIF in HEIC photos from an iPhone or in RAW files?
Yes. The viewer reads metadata from HEIC/HEIF files produced by iPhones, from TIFF images, and from common RAW extensions including DNG, CR2, NEF, ARW, ORF and RW2, as well as JPEG, PNG and WebP. JPEG and most RAW/TIFF formats are parsed natively; HEIC preview conversion uses an optional in-browser converter, while the metadata itself is read locally first.
Can EXIF data reveal where I live?
Yes — if the camera app has location permission, GPS latitude, longitude and even altitude are embedded in the file. Anyone who receives the original file can read those coordinates with a tool like this one. Before posting photos publicly, check the GPS card here and, if needed, strip metadata with your operating system’s export options or a privacy tool.
How can I remove EXIF metadata before sharing?
On Windows, right-click the file, choose Properties > Details > Remove Properties and Personal Information. On macOS, use Tools > Show Inspector in Preview and remove location under the GPS tab, or export with the location option unchecked. On iOS/Android, use the privacy settings in Photos or a metadata-stripping app. Re-saving through most social platforms also removes EXIF automatically.
What is the difference between EXIF, IPTC and XMP metadata?
EXIF is technical data written automatically by the camera — exposure, lens, GPS and timestamps. IPTC is an older editorial standard mostly used by agencies and newsrooms for captions, keywords and copyright. XMP is Adobe’s modern, extensible metadata format used by Lightroom and Bridge, which can store both technical tags and editing/copyright information, often alongside the original EXIF block. This viewer focuses on the camera-generated EXIF tags that explain how the shot was taken.

More Free Photography Tools

A small suite of browser-based calculators for photographers — all free, all private, no sign-up required.

ND Filter CalculatorConvert any ND filter strength into the right long-exposure shutter speed, with stacking. Depth of Field CalculatorNear and far focus limits, total DOF and hyperfocal distance for any sensor and lens. Drone GSD CalculatorGround sampling distance, altitude, overlap and photo count for drone mapping flights. Timelapse CalculatorShooting intervals, final clip duration and storage planning for time-lapse projects.

All processing happens locally in your browser. Your photos are never uploaded to any server.