Metadata Viewer: what it does
A file can say a lot about the person who made it before anyone reads a word of it. Drop a photo, a PDF or an Office document here to see its hidden data in plain language: for photos, the GPS location with a map link, the phone or camera, the date and time, editing apps, Content Credentials and AI labels; for PDFs, the author, the apps that made and changed it, the dates, XMP metadata, comment names and how many times it was saved over; for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, the author and last saved by, company, template, editing time, comment names, hidden sheets and saved-folder paths; for MP4 and MOV videos, the location, phone, software, recording date and editing-app data. Open “All fields” on any file for every raw value. If you find something you don’t want to share, download a clean copy from the same list. The files are read by your browser and never uploaded.
How to use it
- Drop photos, videos, PDFs or Word, Excel and PowerPoint files into the box, or tap to choose them. You can mix types.
- Each file goes to its own list (Photos, Videos, PDFs, Office files) with a plain-language summary of what it reveals. Open “All fields” for every value.
- Set the options above each list, such as keeping a photo’s colour profile or removing names from comments.
- Download each clean copy, or each list at once (a ZIP for photos, PDFs and Office files). What you see in the file is not changed.
Tips
- Check what you received, too: a contract or CV often shows who really wrote it and which company template it came from.
- A PDF that says it was “saved over” several times may still contain earlier versions of its metadata. The clean copy removes them.
- For a photo, the location row is the one to check before posting a picture taken at home.
- Mixed folders are fine: drop photos, PDFs and Office files together and each goes to its own list.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see a file’s metadata?
Drop the file in the box above. Photos, PDFs and Office files are recognised automatically, and each one shows a summary of what it reveals, with “All fields” for the full list.
What metadata does a photo contain?
Usually the device, camera settings, date and time and, for phone photos, the GPS location. Edited or AI-made images can also carry the app’s name, Content Credentials (C2PA) and AI labels.
What metadata does a PDF or Word file contain?
The author and who saved it last, the title, the apps used, created and modified dates and, in Office files, the company, template, total editing time and names on comments. Excel often stores the folder path the file was saved in.
Can I remove what I find?
Yes. Every file in the list has a clean copy ready to download, and each list has a ZIP button for all of them. The visible content of the file is not changed.
Are my files uploaded?
No. They are read by your browser on your device. Nothing is sent to our servers, and a photo’s map link only opens if you click it.