ExifTool is a

free and open-source software Free and open-source software (FOSS) is software available under a license that grants users the right to use, modify, and distribute the software modified or not to everyone free of charge. FOSS is an inclusive umbrella term encompassing free ...

program for reading, writing, and manipulating image, audio, video, and

PDF Portable document format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe Inc., Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, computer hardware, ...

metadata Metadata (or metainformation) is "data that provides information about other data", but not the content of the data itself, such as the text of a message or the image itself. There are many distinct types of metadata, including: * Descriptive ...

. As such, ExifTool classes as a tag editor. It is

platform independent Within computing, cross-platform software (also called multi-platform software, platform-agnostic software, or platform-independent software) is computer software that is designed to work in several computing platforms. Some cross-platform softw ...

, available as both a

Perl Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Though Perl is not officially an acronym, there are various backronyms in use, including "Practical Extraction and Reporting Language". Perl was developed ...

library (Image::ExifTool) and a

command-line A command-line interface (CLI) is a means of interacting with software via commands each formatted as a line of text. Command-line interfaces emerged in the mid-1960s, on computer terminals, as an interactive and more user-friendly alternativ ...

application. ExifTool is commonly incorporated into different types of

digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Businesses *Digital bank, a form of financial institution *Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or Digital, a computer company *Digital Research (DR or DRI), a software ...

workflow Workflow is a generic term for orchestrated and repeatable patterns of activity, enabled by the systematic organization of resources into processes that transform materials, provide services, or process information. It can be depicted as a seque ...

s and supports many types of metadata including

Exif Exchangeable image file format (officially Exif, according to JEIDA/JEITA/CIPA specifications) is a standard that specifies formats for images, sound, and ancillary tags used by digital cameras (including smartphones), scanners and other system ...

, IPTC, XMP,

JFIF The JPEG File Interchange Format (JFIF) is an image file format standard published as ITU-T Recommendation T.871 and ISO/IEC 10918-5. It defines supplementary specifications for the Digital container format, container format that contains the image ...

GeoTIFF GeoTIFF is a public domain metadata standard which allows georeferencing information to be embedded within a TIFF file. The potential additional information includes map projection, coordinate systems, ellipsoids, datums, and everything else nec ...

ICC Profile In color management, an ICC profile is a set of data that characterizes a color input or output device, or a color space, according to standards promulgated by the International Color Consortium (ICC). Profiles describe the color attributes o ...

, Photoshop IRB, FlashPix, AFCP and ID3, as well as the manufacturer-specific metadata formats of many

digital camera A digital camera, also called a digicam, is a camera that captures photographs in Digital data storage, digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film or film stock. Dig ...

s. This tool is often used in digital forensic analysis and library archival.

Metainformation encapsulation

ExifTool also implements its own open

format. It is designed to encapsulate metainformation from many sources, in binary or textual form, and bundle it together with any type of file. It can either be a single file, wrapping existing data, added as a trailer on other file types, or used as a sidecar file, carrying for example

or XMP metadata.

Uses

Websites and services that use ExifTool include: * Advanced Renamer *

Flickr Flickr ( ) is an image hosting service, image and Online video platform, video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was previously a co ...

(to parse the metadata from uploaded images) * Hugin *

XnView XnView is an image organizer and general-purpose file manager used for viewing, converting, organizing and editing raster images, as well as general purpose file management. It comes with built-in hex inspection, batch renaming, image scan ...

Supported file formats

ExifTool can read, edit or create files with the following formats:Supported File Types
/ref>

Reading support

* 360 - GoPro 360 video (QuickTime-based) * 3FR - Hasselblad raw (TIFF-based) * 3G2, 3GP2 - 3rd Gen. Partnership Project 2 audio/video (QuickTime-based) * 3GP, 3GPP - 3rd Gen. Partnership Project audio/video (QuickTime-based) * A - Unix static library code Archive * AA - Audible Audiobook * AAC - Audio files * AAE - Apple edit information (XML PLIST-based) * AAX - Audible Enhanced Audiobook (QuickTime-based) * ACR - American College of Radiology ACR-NEMA (DICOM-like) * AFM, ACFM, AMFM - Adobe (Composite/Multiple Master) Font Metrics * AI, AIT - Adobe Illustrator (Template, PS or PDF) * AIFF, AIF, AIFC - Audio Interchange File Format (Compressed) * APE - Monkey's Audio * ARQ - Sony Alpha Pixel-Shift raw (TIFF-based) * ARW - Sony Alpha raw (TIFF-based) * ASF - Microsoft Advanced Systems Format * AVI - Audio Video Interleaved (RIFF-based) * AVIF - AV1 Image File Format (QuickTime-based) * BMP, DIB - Windows BitMaP / Device Independent Bitmap * BPG - Better Portable Graphics * BTF - BigTIFF (64-bit Tagged Image File Format) * CAP - Packet Capture files * CHM - Microsoft Compiled HTML format * COS - Capture One Settings (XML-based) * CR2 - Canon Raw 2 (TIFF-based) (CR2 specification) * CR3 - Canon Raw 3 (QuickTime-based) (CR3 specification) * CRM - Canon RAW Movie (QuickTime-based) * CRW, CIFF - Canon Raw Camera Image File Format (CRW specification) * CS1 - Sinar CaptureShop 1-shot raw (PSD-based) * CSV - Comma-Separated Values * CZI - Zeiss Integrated Software RAW (ZISRAW) * DCM, DC3, DIC, DICM - DICOM - Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine * DCP - DNG Camera Profile (DNG-like) * DCR - Kodak Digital Camera Raw (TIFF-based) * DFONT - Macintosh Data Fork Font * DIVX - DivX media format (ASF-based) * DJVU, DJV - DjVu image (AIFF-like) * DNG - Digital Negative (TIFF-based) * DOC, DOT - Microsoft Word Document/Template (FPX-like) * DOCX, DOCM - Office Open XML Document (Macro-enabled) * DOTX, DOTM - Office Open XML Document Template (Macro-enabled) * DPX - Digital Picture Exchange * DR4 - Canon DPP version 4 Recipe * DSS, DS2 - Digital Speech Standard * DYLIB - Mac OS X Mach-O executable and library files * DV - Digital Video * DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting (QuickTime-based) * DVR-MS - Microsoft Digital Video Recording (ASF-based) * EIP - Capture One Enhanced Image Package (ZIP-based) * EPS, EPSF, PS - (Encapsulated) PostScript Format * EPUB - Electronic Publication Format * ERF - Epson Raw Format (TIFF-based) * EXE, DLL - DOS/Windows executable and library files * EXIF - Exchangeable Image File Format metadata (TIFF-based) * EXR - Open EXR (Extended Range) * EXV - Exiv2 metadata file (JPEG-based) * F4A, F4B, F4P, F4V - Adobe Flash Player 9+ Audio/Video (Quicktime-based) * FFF - Hasselblad Flexible File Format (TIFF-based) * FFF - FLIR thermal image File Format * FITS - Flexible Image Transport System * FLA - Macromedia/Adobe Flash project (FPX-like) * FLAC - Free Lossless Audio Codec * FLIF - Free Lossless Image Format * FLV - Flash Video * FPF - FLIR Public image Format * FPX - FlashPix image * GIF - Compuserve Graphics Interchange Format * GPR - GoPro Raw (DNG-based) * GZ, GZIP - GNU ZIP compressed archive * HDP, WDP, JXR - Windows HD Photo / Media Photo / JPEG XR (TIFF-based) * HDR - Radiance RGBE (Red Green Blue Exponent) High Dynamic-Range * HEIC, HEIF, HIF - High Efficiency Image Format (QuickTime-based) * HTML, HTM, XHTML - (Extensible) HyperText Markup Language * ICO, CUR - Windows Icon or Cursor * ICC, ICM - International Color Consortium color profile * ICS, ICAL - iCalendar Schedule * IDML - Adobe InDesign Markup Language (ZIP/XML-based) * IIQ - Phase One Intelligent Image Quality raw (TIFF-based) * IND, INDD, INDT - Adobe InDesign Document/Template (XMP metadata only) * INSP - Insta360 Picture (JPEG-based) * INSV - Insta360 Video (QuickTime-based) * INX - Adobe InDesign Interchange (XML-based, XMP metadata only) * ISO - ISO 9660 disk image * ITC - iTunes Cover Flow artwork * J2C, J2K, JPC - JPEG 2000 codestream * JP2, JPF, JPM, JPX - JPEG 2000 image (Compound/Extended) * JPEG, JPG, JPE - Joint Photographic Experts Group image (see table below) * JSON - JavaScript Object Notation * JXL - JPEG XL (Extra longterm) * K25 - Kodak DC25 raw (TIFF-based) * KDC - Kodak Digital Camera raw (TIFF-based) * KEY, KTH - Apple iWork '09 Keynote presentation/Theme * LA - Lossless Audio (RIFF-based) * LFP, LFR - Lytro Light Field Picture * LNK - Microsoft Shell Link (Windows shortcut) * LRV - Low-Resolution Video (QuickTime-based) * M2TS, MTS, M2T, TS - MPEG-2 Transport Stream (used for AVCHD video) * M4A, M4B, M4P, M4V - MPEG-4 Audio/Video (Quicktime-based) * MACOS - MacOS "._" sidecar file (may have any extension) * MAX - 3D Studio MAX (FPX-like) * MEF - Mamiya (raw) Electronic Format (TIFF-based) * MIE - Meta Information Encapsulation (MIE specification) * MIFF, MIF - Magick Image File Format * MKA, MKV, MKS - Matroska Audio/Video/Subtitle * MOBI, AZW, AZW3 - Mobipocket electronic book (Palm-based) * MODD - Sony Picture Motion metadata (XML PLIST-based) * MOI - MOD Information file * MOS - Creo Leaf Mosaic (TIFF-based) * MOV, QT - Apple QuickTime Movie * MP3 - MPEG-1 layer 3 audio (uses ID3 information) * MP4 - Motion Picture Experts Group version 4 (Quicktime-based) * MPC - Musepack Audio * MPEG, MPG, M2V - Motion Picture Experts Group version 1 or 2 * MPO - Extended Multi-Picture format (JPEG with MPF extensions) * MQV - Sony Mobile QuickTime Video * MRW - Minolta Raw * MXF - Material Exchange Format * NEF - Nikon (raw) Electronic Format (TIFF-based) * NMBTEMPLATE - Apple iWork '09 Numbers Template * NRW - Nikon Raw (2) (TIFF-based) * NUMBERS - Apple iWork '09 Numbers spreadsheet * O - Unix compiled code Object * ODB, ODC, ODF, ODG, ODI, ODP, ODS, ODT - Open Document Database/Chart/Formula/Graphics/Image/Presentation/Spreadsheet/Text (ZIP/XML-based) * OFR - OptimFROG audio (RIFF-based) * OGG, OGV - Ogg bitstream container * ONP - ON1 Presets * OPUS - Ogg Opus audio * ORF - Olympus Raw Format (TIFF-based) * OTF - Open Type Font * PAC - Lossless Predictive Audio Compression (RIFF-based) * PAGES - Apple iWork '09 Pages document * PCAP - Packet Capture files * PCAPNG - Packet Capture files * PCD - Kodak Photo CD Image Pac * PCX - PC Paintbrush * PDB, PRC - Palm Database * PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format * PEF - Pentax (raw) Electronic Format (TIFF-based) * PFA, PFB - PostScript Font ASCII/Binary * PFM - Printer Font Metrics * PGF - Progressive Graphics File * PICT, PCT - Apple Picture file * PLIST - Apple Property List (binary and XML formats) * PMP - Sony DSC-F1 Cyber-Shot image * PNG, JNG, MNG - Portable/JPEG/Multiple-image Network Graphics * PPM, PBM, PGM - Portable Pixel/Bit/Gray Map * PPT, PPS, POT - Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation/Slideshow/Template (FPX-like) * POTX, POTM - Office Open XML Presentation Template (Macro-enabled) * PPAX, PPAM - Office Open XML Presentation Addin (Macro-enabled) * PPSX, PPSM - Office Open XML Presentation Slideshow (Macro-enabled) * PPTX, PPTM - Office Open XML Presentation (Macro-enabled) * PSD, PSB, PSDT - PhotoShop Drawing / Large Document / Template * PSP, PSPIMAGE - Paint Shop Pro * QTIF, QTI, QIF - QuickTime Image File * R3D - Redcode raw video * RA - RealAudio * RAF - FujiFilm Raw Format * RAM, RPM - RealAudio/Plug-in Metafile * RAR - RAR Archive * RAW - Kyocera Contax N Digital Raw * RAW - Panasonic Raw (TIFF-based) * RIFF, RIF - Resource Interchange File Format * RM, RV, RMVB - Real Media/Video (Variable Bitrate) * RSRC - Mac OS Resource * RTF - Rich Text Format * RW2 - Panasonic Raw 2 (TIFF-based) * RWL - Leica Raw (TIFF-based) * RWZ - Rawzor compressed image * SEQ - FLIR Systems image Sequence * SKETCH - Sketch design file * SO - Unix ELF executable and Shared Object files * SR2 - Sony Raw 2 (TIFF-based) * SRF - Sony Raw Format (TIFF-based) * SRW - Samsung Raw format (TIFF-based) * SVG - Scalable Vector Graphics (XML-based) * SWF - Shockwave Flash * THM - Canon Thumbnail (JPEG) * THMX - Office Open XML Theme * TIFF, TIF - Tagged Image File Format * TTF, TTC - True Type Font/Collection * TORRENT - BitTorrent description file * TXT - Text files * VCF, VCARD - Virtual Card * VOB - Video Object (MPEG-based) * VRD - Canon DPP Recipe Data * VSD - Microsoft Visio Drawing (FPX-like) * WAV - Windows digital audio WAVeform (RIFF-based) * WEBM - Google Web Movie (MKV-based) * WEBP - Google Web Picture (RIFF-based) * WMA, WMV - Windows Media Audio/Video (ASF-based) * WTV - Windos recorded TV show * WV - WavePack lossless audio (RIFF-based) * X3F - Sigma/Foveon raw * XCF - GIMP native image format * XLS, XLT - Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet/Template (FPX-like) * XLSX, XLSM, XLSB - Office Open XML Spreadsheet (Macro-enabled/Binary) * XLTX, XLTM - Office Open XML Spreadsheet Template (Macro-enabled) * XMP - Extensible Metadata Platform sidecar file * ZIP - ZIP archive

Edit support

* 360 - GoPro 360 video (QuickTime-based) * 3G2, 3GP2 - 3rd Gen. Partnership Project 2 audio/video (QuickTime-based) * 3GP, 3GPP - 3rd Gen. Partnership Project audio/video (QuickTime-based) * AAX - Audible Enhanced Audiobook (QuickTime-based) * AI, AIT - Adobe Illustrator (Template, PS or PDF) * ARQ - Sony Alpha Pixel-Shift raw (TIFF-based) * ARW - Sony Alpha raw (TIFF-based) * AVIF - AV1 Image File Format (QuickTime-based) * CR2 - Canon Raw 2 (TIFF-based) (CR2 specification) * CR3 - Canon Raw 3 (QuickTime-based) (CR3 specification) * CRM - Canon RAW Movie (QuickTime-based) * CRW, CIFF - Canon Raw Camera Image File Format (CRW specification) * CS1 - Sinar CaptureShop 1-shot raw (PSD-based) * DCP - DNG Camera Profile (DNG-like) * DNG - Digital Negative (TIFF-based) * DR4 - Canon DPP version 4 Recipe * DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting (QuickTime-based) * EPS, EPSF, PS - (Encapsulated) PostScript Format * ERF - Epson Raw Format (TIFF-based) * EXIF - Exchangeable Image File Format metadata (TIFF-based) * EXV - Exiv2 metadata file (JPEG-based) * F4A, F4B, F4P, F4V - Adobe Flash Player 9+ Audio/Video (Quicktime-based) * FFF - Hasselblad Flexible File Format (TIFF-based) * FLIF - Free Lossless Image Format * GIF - Compuserve Graphics Interchange Format * GPR - GoPro Raw (DNG-based) * HDP, WDP, JXR - Windows HD Photo / Media Photo / JPEG XR (TIFF-based) * HEIC, HEIF, HIF - High Efficiency Image Format (QuickTime-based) * ICC, ICM - International Color Consortium color profile * IIQ - Phase One Intelligent Image Quality raw (TIFF-based) * IND, INDD, INDT - Adobe InDesign Document/Template (XMP metadata only) * INSP - Insta360 Picture (JPEG-based) * JP2, JPF, JPM, JPX - JPEG 2000 image (Compound/Extended) * JPEG, JPG, JPE - Joint Photographic Experts Group image (see table below) * JXL - JPEG XL (Extra longterm) * LRV - Low-Resolution Video (QuickTime-based) * M4A, M4B, M4P, M4V - MPEG-4 Audio/Video (Quicktime-based) * MEF - Mamiya (raw) Electronic Format (TIFF-based) * MIE - Meta Information Encapsulation (MIE specification) * MOS - Creo Leaf Mosaic (TIFF-based) * MOV, QT - Apple QuickTime Movie * MP4 - Motion Picture Experts Group version 4 (Quicktime-based) * MPO - Extended Multi-Picture format (JPEG with MPF extensions) * MQV - Sony Mobile QuickTime Video * MRW - Minolta Raw * NEF - Nikon (raw) Electronic Format (TIFF-based) * NRW - Nikon Raw (2) (TIFF-based) * ORF - Olympus Raw Format (TIFF-based) * PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format * PEF - Pentax (raw) Electronic Format (TIFF-based) * PNG, JNG, MNG - Portable/JPEG/Multiple-image Network Graphics * PPM, PBM, PGM - Portable Pixel/Bit/Gray Map * PSD, PSB, PSDT - PhotoShop Drawing / Large Document / Template * QTIF, QTI, QIF - QuickTime Image File * RAF - FujiFilm Raw Format * RAW - Panasonic Raw (TIFF-based) * RW2 - Panasonic Raw 2 (TIFF-based) * RWL - Leica Raw (TIFF-based) * SR2 - Sony Raw 2 (TIFF-based) * SRW - Samsung Raw format (TIFF-based) * THM - Canon Thumbnail (JPEG) * TIFF, TIF - Tagged Image File Format * VRD - Canon DPP Recipe Data * WEBP - Google Web Picture (RIFF-based) * X3F - Sigma/Foveon raw * XMP - Extensible Metadata Platform sidecar file

Creation support

Some metadata-only files may be created from metadata input alone. Here is a list of files that ExifTool can create from scratch: * DR4 - Canon DPP version 4 Recipe * EXIF - Exchangeable Image File Format metadata (TIFF-based) * EXV - Exiv2 metadata file (JPEG-based) * ICC, ICM - International Color Consortium color profile * MIE - Meta Information Encapsulation (MIE specification) * VRD - Canon DPP Recipe Data * XMP - Extensible Metadata Platform sidecar file

Supported JPEG metadata

ExifTool can read, edit or create the following types of metadata in JPEG images:

Programming libraries

ExifTool is available as the native

library Image::ExifTool. The Python PyExifTool module provides a wrapper to the system version of ExifTool. Further programming resources are on the ExifTool project webpage.