Guide · Photos
How to tell when a photo was taken
Most photos record the moment they were taken inside the file itself. Here is where to find it, how to read it, and how far to trust it.
The short answer
Phones and cameras write the capture time into the photo’s EXIF data, in a field called DateTimeOriginal. That is the closest thing to “when this photo was taken”. It is set by the device’s clock at the moment the shutter fires, and it stays inside the file when you copy it, unless an app strips it.
The date your computer shows in a file list is usually something else: when that copy of the file was created or last changed on your disk. Downloading, copying or syncing a photo changes those dates, but not the EXIF date.
Check any photo’s capture date in seconds.
Open the photo viewerWhere to look on your device
- iPhone and iPad: open the photo in Photos and swipe up, or tap the info (i) button. You’ll see the date, time, device and location if one was recorded.
- Android (Google Photos): open the photo and swipe up to see its details, including date, time and camera.
- Windows: right-click the file, choose Properties, then the Details tab. Look for “Date taken”, not “Date created”.
- Mac: open the photo in Preview and choose Tools › Show Inspector, then the EXIF tab. In the Photos app, select a photo and press Cmd-I.
- Anywhere: drop the file into Metvoro to see every date it contains, side by side, with an explanation of each.
Which date is which
A single photo can carry several dates. They mean different things:
| Field | What it records |
|---|---|
DateTimeOriginal | When the photo was taken, by the device’s clock. This is the one you usually want. |
CreateDate | When the image was stored digitally. Same as above for phones; later for scans of old prints. |
ModifyDate | When software last saved the file, for example after editing, rotating or exporting. |
GPSDateStamp | Satellite time in UTC, recorded alongside the location. Independent of the camera’s clock setting. |
| File created / modified | Kept by your computer or phone for that copy of the file. Not stored inside the photo. |
Time zones
Older cameras record only the local clock time, with no time zone. Newer phones also save an offset such as +02:00 in a field called OffsetTimeOriginal. Without it, “14:32” could mean 14:32 anywhere in the world.
When a photo has both a camera time and a GPS time, the gap between them usually reveals the time zone the device was set to. Metvoro points this out when it finds it, and says so plainly when it can’t tell.
When not to trust the date
The EXIF date is good evidence, but it is not proof. Be careful when:
- The camera clock was never set, or wasn’t changed after travelling. Dedicated cameras are often wrong by hours or years. Phones set their clocks automatically and are usually right.
- The photo was edited. Free tools can change any EXIF date, and some editing apps rewrite dates when they export.
- The date is missing. Messaging apps, social networks and many websites remove metadata. Screenshots and many downloaded images never had it. Missing metadata doesn’t mean a photo is fake.
If the date matters, for a dispute, a news story or a legal case, treat metadata as one piece of evidence. Compare it with what’s visible in the photo, the GPS time if present, and where the file came from.
See every date inside your photo, and what each one means.
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