# Exiftool

> Auth/lab ref: metadata extraction, copy, conversion, and editing utility for images, video, documents, archives, executables, and many other file types.

- Skill: `aeondave/exiftool` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aeondave/exiftool`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aeondave/exiftool/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: AeonDave (https://skillmd.com/u/aeondave)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aeondave/exiftool

---


# 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

```bash
# 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

```bash
exiftool -a -u -g1 file.jpg
```

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

### Focused tags

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

### Structured output for tooling

```bash
exiftool -j file.jpg
exiftool -csv dir/
```

### Recursive directory processing

```bash
exiftool -r -ext jpg pictures/
```

## Embedded Data and Binary Extraction

```bash
# 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

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

### Copy selected metadata while rewriting groups intentionally

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

## Editing and Deletion

```bash
# 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

```bash
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.