How do I install the Exiftool skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add aeondave/exiftool in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Exiftool safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Exiftool?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Exiftool free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Exiftool?

AeonDave (@aeondave) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Exiftool by aeondave — Agent Skill

Name: Exiftool
Author: AeonDave

File contents

ExifTool

High-coverage metadata inspection and editing across a huge range of file types.

When to use ExifTool

Use ExifTool when you need to:

dump metadata from images, videos, PDFs, archives, or binaries
extract GPS, EXIF, XMP, IPTC, ICC, and embedded-preview information
compare, copy, or transform metadata between files
batch process directories recursively
geotag images from GPS logs or normalize timestamp fields

Quick Start

# Read everything ExifTool considers available
exiftool file.jpg

# Short tag names with group names
exiftool -s -G1 file.jpg

# JSON output for automation
exiftool -j file.jpg

High-Value Read Workflows

Full metadata dump

exiftool -a -u -g1 file.jpg

Use this when you want duplicate and unknown tags grouped clearly.

Focused tags

exiftool -s -ImageSize -ExposureTime -CreateDate file.jpg

Structured output for tooling

exiftool -j file.jpg
exiftool -csv dir/

Recursive directory processing

exiftool -r -ext jpg pictures/

Embedded Data and Binary Extraction

# Extract thumbnail
exiftool -b -ThumbnailImage image.jpg > thumbnail.jpg

# Extract embedded metadata from nested content
exiftool -ee file.pdf

-ee is especially useful for embedded documents, previews, or timed metadata in container formats.

Copy and Transform Metadata

Copy tags from one file to another

exiftool -tagsFromFile src.jpg dst.jpg
exiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg -all:all dst.jpg

Copy selected metadata while rewriting groups intentionally

exiftool -all= -tagsFromFile src.jpg -exif:all dst.jpg

Editing and Deletion

# Write or replace one tag
exiftool -comment='new comment' file.jpg

# Delete all metadata
exiftool -all= file.jpg

# Recursive delete of one group
exiftool -r -XMP-crss:all= DIR

Geotagging

exiftool -geotag track.log image.jpg
exiftool -geotag track.log -geosync=-20 DIR

Use this for forensic or OSINT workflows that align image timestamps with GPS logs.

Practical Notes

By default, when ExifTool writes metadata it preserves originals as *_original backups.
Use -overwrite_original only when you intentionally do not want those backups.
-n disables print conversion and is useful when you need raw numeric values.
-b is the right choice when extracting binary values like thumbnails or full XMP blobs.
-G and -g matter because the same logical tag may exist in multiple metadata groups.

Caveats

Editing metadata is not the same as sanitizing a file for privacy; review generated _original files too.
Upstream notes that PDF edits are reversible because original information is not actually removed from the file.
-all= on RAW formats can destroy metadata needed by vendor workflows; use carefully.

Resources

No bundled scripts/, references/, or assets/. Use the official ExifTool documentation for the full tag database, batch formatting tricks, and advanced copy/write syntax.

---name: exiftooldescription: Auth/lab ref: metadata extraction, copy, conversion, and editing utility for images, video, documents, archives, executables, and many other file types.---# ExifToolHigh-coverage metadata inspection and editing across a huge range of file types.## When to use ExifToolUse ExifTool when you need to:- dump metadata from images, videos, PDFs, archives, or binaries- extract GPS, EXIF, XMP, IPTC, ICC, and embedded-preview information- compare, copy, or transform metadata between files- batch process directories recursively- geotag images from GPS logs or normalize timestamp fields## Quick Start```bash# Read everything ExifTool considers availableexiftool file.jpg# Short tag names with group namesexiftool -s -G1 file.jpg# JSON output for automationexiftool -j file.jpg```## High-Value Read Workflows### Full metadata dump```bashexiftool -a -u -g1 file.jpg```Use this when you want duplicate and unknown tags grouped clearly.### Focused tags```bashexiftool -s -ImageSize -ExposureTime -CreateDate file.jpg```### Structured output for tooling```bashexiftool -j file.jpgexiftool -csv dir/```### Recursive directory processing```bashexiftool -r -ext jpg pictures/```## Embedded Data and Binary Extraction```bash# Extract thumbnailexiftool -b -ThumbnailImage image.jpg > thumbnail.jpg# Extract embedded metadata from nested contentexiftool -ee file.pdf````-ee` is especially useful for embedded documents, previews, or timed metadata in container formats.## Copy and Transform Metadata### Copy tags from one file to another```bashexiftool -tagsFromFile src.jpg dst.jpgexiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg -all:all dst.jpg```### Copy selected metadata while rewriting groups intentionally```bashexiftool -all= -tagsFromFile src.jpg -exif:all dst.jpg```## Editing and Deletion```bash# Write or replace one tagexiftool -comment='new comment' file.jpg# Delete all metadataexiftool -all= file.jpg# Recursive delete of one groupexiftool -r -XMP-crss:all= DIR```## Geotagging```bashexiftool -geotag track.log image.jpgexiftool -geotag track.log -geosync=-20 DIR```Use this for forensic or OSINT workflows that align image timestamps with GPS logs.## Practical Notes- By default, when ExifTool writes metadata it preserves originals as `*_original` backups.- Use `-overwrite_original` only when you intentionally do not want those backups.- `-n` disables print conversion and is useful when you need raw numeric values.- `-b` is the right choice when extracting binary values like thumbnails or full XMP blobs.- `-G` and `-g` matter because the same logical tag may exist in multiple metadata groups.## Caveats- Editing metadata is not the same as sanitizing a file for privacy; review generated `_original` files too.- Upstream notes that PDF edits are reversible because original information is not actually removed from the file.- `-all=` on RAW formats can destroy metadata needed by vendor workflows; use carefully.## ResourcesNo bundled `scripts/`, `references/`, or `assets/`.Use the official ExifTool documentation for the full tag database, batch formatting tricks, and advanced copy/write syntax.

Frequently asked questions

Exiftool