How to Check Photo Metadata on iPhone (EXIF and Location)

To check a photo's metadata on iPhone, open it in the Photos app and swipe up, or tap the Info button (the "i"). You'll see the date and time, device and lens, camera settings, file size and, if location was recorded, a map pin. For the full EXIF data, or for a file you received in Files, Mail or a browser, use a metadata viewer such as our free photo metadata viewer, which runs entirely in your browser.

Steps in the Photos app (iOS 18 and iOS 26)

1. Open Photos and tap the photo.
2. Swipe up on the photo, or tap the Info button (circled "i") at the bottom.
3. Read the panel:
   • Date and time the photo was taken.
   • Device and lens, for example the iPhone model and which camera was used.
   • Camera settings: resolution, file size, format (HEIF, JPEG, ProRAW), ISO, focal length, exposure, aperture.
   • Location: a map with the place, if location was recorded.
   • Captions and, sometimes, the app that saved the image (for photos saved from other apps).

You can change some of this from the same panel: tap Adjust next to the date to change date and time, or tap the location (or Add Location) and choose No Location to remove it. These edits change what Photos stores, and what it shares if you include location.

What each field reveals

For a single photo, this is minor. For a set of photos posted publicly, metadata can reveal your home, your routine and your workplace.

Check a file you've received or downloaded

Photos in the Files app, in Mail attachments, or downloaded in Safari aren't always in the Photos library. Options:

• Files app: touch and hold the file, then tap Get Info. It shows basic information such as size and dates, but not full EXIF.
• Our metadata viewer: open the photo metadata viewer in Safari and choose the file. It reads the EXIF fields locally, without uploading.
• On a Mac: open the image in Preview and choose Tools > Show Inspector, then the Info tab for EXIF and GPS.

Check whether location gets recorded at all

1. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
2. Tap Camera.
3. Never means new photos have no GPS data. While Using the App means they do.
4. Precise Location controls whether coordinates are exact or approximate.

Full steps and trade-offs are in how to turn off location on iPhone photos.

Remove metadata before sharing

When you share a photo, you can drop location for that share:

1. Tap Share, then Options at the top of the share sheet.
2. Turn off Location and leave All Photos Data off.

That removes location, but other EXIF fields may remain. To strip everything, use the EXIF remover, or read how to remove EXIF data from photos on iPhone for all the options. For sending, see how to share photos privately.

Metadata in videos, Live Photos and screenshots

• Videos carry the same kinds of data as photos, including location if Camera has location access. The Info panel shows it the same way.
• Live Photos include a short video alongside the still image. When you share one, both parts may carry metadata; turning off Location in share Options covers both.
• Screenshots carry a date and device information, usually no GPS. The content of the screenshot is the bigger risk.
• Edited photos may record the editing app in the Software field, and some editors add their own metadata.

Check many photos at once

To find photos that have location data, open Photos and search for a city or a place name; results come from GPS data. On iOS 18 and iOS 26, the Places collection (under Collections or Pinned Collections) shows every photo with location on a map. Zoom in on your home address to see how many photos would reveal it if shared with location.

The limits of checking

• Metadata isn't the only clue. A street sign, a view from a window or a reflection can reveal a location without any EXIF data.
• Copies differ. The version in your library may have location; the version you sent may not, or the other way around. Check the actual file being shared.
• Platforms change. Social networks and messengers change how they handle metadata over time. Test rather than assume.

Keeping private photos metadata-free

sigil. strips EXIF and location metadata from photos when you import them into its encrypted vault and again when you export them. Photos taken with its private camera go straight into the vault and never enter the Photos library. If you export a photo, sigil. warns you that the copy leaving the vault is no longer encrypted.

That makes sigil. a good place for the photos you'd rather keep private and clean: ID scans, medical photos, documents. The vault is encrypted with a 256-bit key and opens with a sign you draw, not your phone passcode. It's local-first, with no cloud backup yet.

Quick checklist

• Swipe up on a photo to see its Info panel.
• Use a metadata viewer for files outside Photos.
• Set Camera location to Never if you don't need it.
• Turn off Location in share Options every time you share.
• Verify the cleaned file before sending anything sensitive.