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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did ExifTool say to the photo? "You're tagged for editing.

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ExifTool
Original authorPhil Harvey
Release19 November 2003 (22 years ago) (2003-11-19)[1]
Stable release
13.59[2] Edit this on Wikidata / 27 May 2026; 3 months ago (27 May 2026)
Written inPerl
Operating systemLinux, macOS, Windows
TypeTag editor
LicenseGPLv1+ or Artistic License
Websiteexiftool.org
Repository
Meta Information Encapsulation
Filename extension
.mie
Internet media type
application/x-mie
Magic number
  • 7e 10 04 xx 30 4d 49 45
  • 7e 18 04 xx 30 4d 49 45
Developed byPhil Harvey
Initial release28 November 2005 (20 years ago) (2005-11-28)
Latest release
1.1
21 January 2007 (2007-01-21)
Type of formatMetadata
Container forany other file format
Websiteexiftool.org/TagNames/MIE.html

ExifTool is a free and open source software program for reading, writing, and manipulating image, audio, video, and PDF metadata. As such, ExifTool classes as a tag editor. ExifTool can also be used as a metadata removal tool for supported file types, except for PDF, as old metadata is never actually deleted. (However, after running ExifTool the old metadata may be removed permanently using the "qpdf" utility)[3] It is platform independent, available as both a Perl library (Image::ExifTool) and a command-line application.

ExifTool supports many types of metadata including Exif, IPTC, XMP, JFIF, GeoTIFF, ICC Profile, Photoshop IRB, FlashPix, AFCP and ID3, as well as the manufacturer-specific metadata formats of many digital cameras.

ExifTool is incorporated into different types of digital workflows,[4][5] and is often used in digital forensic analysis[6][7][8] and library archival.[9][10] It is recommended over online Exif sites when dealing with more sensitive tasks since it can be run locally.[11] Another common use is removing sensitive metadata, like location data, from photos.[12] The tool, as of 2021, is widely-used.[13]

Metainformation encapsulation

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ExifTool also implements its own open metadata 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 Exif or XMP metadata.[citation needed]

See also

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  • libsndfile – sndfile-info displays audio file info

References

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  1. ↑ ExifTool Ancient History
  2. ↑ "ExifTool Version History". Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "PDF Tags".
  4. ↑ Levy, Richard (2018). "A Workflow for Adding Specimen Metadata to Images Captured in the Field". Biodiversity Information Science and Standards. 2 e26247. doi:10.3897/biss.2.26247. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  5. ↑ Toevs, Brian (November 2015). "Processing of Metadata on Multimedia using ExifTool". IEEE. pp. 26–30. doi:10.1109/GOCICT.2015.14.
  6. ↑ Suhardjono; Handayani, Popon; Sugiarto, Hari; Aisyah, Nurul; Putra, Arman; Sarana, Bina; Mandiri, Nusa; Pembangunan, Insan (May 2022). "Forensic Analysis Video Metadata Authenticity Detection Using ExifTool". Journal of Innovation Research and Knowledge. 1 (12): 1727–1734. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  7. ↑ Matthews, Richard (2017-06-22). "Explainer: how law enforcement decodes your photos". The Conversation. doi:10.64628/AA.exn7ujt5t. Retrieved 2026-09-19.
  8. ↑ Theberge, Richard (3 February 2025). "Enhancing Crime Scene Documentation with pyLEPhotoLog: A Free and Open-Source Solution for Investigators". NH Law Enforcement Blog. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  9. ↑ Klose, Annamarie (March 28, 2023). "Embedded Metadata". atlassian.net. OSUL. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  10. ↑ Duryee, Alexander; Lyons, Bertram. "Two Open-Source Tools for Digital Asset Metadata Management". cornell.edu. AVPreserve. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  11. ↑ "Work with Open-Source Intelligence (Part 1): Extracting information from online images". RSF Resources for Journalists. 2025-04-07. Retrieved 2026-09-19.
  12. ↑ Nield, David (2026-03-29). "Your Photos Are Probably Giving Away Your Location. Here's How to Stop That". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2026-09-19.
  13. ↑ Thomson, Iain (2021-05-22). "American insurance giant CNA reportedly pays $40m to ransomware crooks". theregister. Retrieved 2026-09-19.
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