damionrashford Media Exiftool
Context: $ARGUMENTS
ExifTool (by Phil Harvey) is the de facto standard for reading and writing metadata in images, RAW files, video, PDFs, and audio. It handles EXIF, IPTC, XMP, GPS, MakerNotes, QuickTime atoms, ID3, and hundreds of vendor-specific tags.
Quick start
- Dump everything grouped:
exiftool -g1 in.jpg→ Step 2, read - Machine-readable JSON:
exiftool -j in.jpg→ Step 2, read - Write a tag safely:
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Artist="Alice" in.jpg→ Step 2, write - Nuke all metadata:
exiftool -all= -overwrite_original in.jpg→ Step 2, strip - Copy metadata src → dst:
exiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg dst.jpg→ Step 2, copy - Shift dates +1h:
exiftool "-AllDates+=0:0:0 1:0:0" *.jpg→ Step 2, shift
When to use
- Auditing or editing EXIF/IPTC/XMP on JPEG, TIFF, HEIC, RAW, PNG, PDF
- Scrubbing GPS or all metadata before publishing photos
- Copying tags between a RAW and its JPEG sibling, or writing XMP sidecars
- Rewriting capture timestamps after a camera clock mishap
- Batch-renaming a folder by
DateTimeOriginal - Tagging IPTC keywords / XMP ratings for a DAM workflow
- Inspecting or editing QuickTime metadata in MOV/MP4 (including GoPro maker-notes)
Step 1 — Install
Pick one:
# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install exiftool
# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install libimage-exiftool-perl
# Verify
exiftool -ver # expect 12.x or 13.x
ExifTool is a Perl script — perl must be present (it is on macOS and most Linux).
Step 2 — Pick an operation
| Op | When | Core command |
|---|---|---|
| read | You need to see tags | exiftool -g1 in.jpg or exiftool -j in.jpg |
| write | You need to set or change one or more tags | exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Tag=Value in.jpg |
| strip | You need to remove metadata (e.g., before posting) | exiftool -all= -overwrite_original in.jpg |
| copy | You need to transfer tags from one file to another | exiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg dst.jpg |
| shift | You need to correct camera clock drift | exiftool "-AllDates+=0:0:0 1:0:0" *.jpg |
| gps | You need to add/remove location | exiftool -GPSLatitude=... -GPSLongitude=... in.jpg |
| extract | You need the embedded thumbnail or preview | exiftool -b -ThumbnailImage in.jpg > thumb.jpg |
| sidecar | You need metadata beside (not inside) the file | exiftool -o dst.xmp -tagsFromFile src.jpg |
| rename | You need filenames derived from capture date | exiftool '-FileName<DateTimeOriginal' -d '%Y%m%d_%H%M%S.%%le' |
Step 3 — Run
Read
exiftool -g1 in.jpg # grouped by family-1 tag group
exiftool -j in.jpg # JSON (always a single-element array)
exiftool -s -s -s -CreateDate in.jpg # ultra-short: value only
exiftool -CreateDate -ImageWidth -ImageHeight in.jpg
exiftool -n in.jpg # numeric/raw values (no pretty formatting)
exiftool -t in.jpg # tab-separated
exiftool -r photos/ # recurse a directory
Write
# Single tag
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Artist="Alice" in.jpg
# Multiple tags in one invocation (one pass is always faster)
exiftool -P -overwrite_original \
-Artist="Alice" \
-Copyright="(c) 2026 Alice" \
-XMP:Rating=5 \
in.jpg
# Append vs replace on list tags (IPTC keywords)
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Keywords+="sunset" -Keywords+="beach" in.jpg # append
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Keywords="sunset" in.jpg # replace
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -Keywords-="badtag" in.jpg # remove one
# Set group explicitly (tags with the same short name exist in EXIF, XMP, IPTC)
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -XMP:Creator="Alice" -IPTC:By-line="Alice" -EXIF:Artist="Alice" in.jpg
-P preserves the filesystem mtime (otherwise ExifTool updates it to "now"). -overwrite_original skips the default in.jpg_original backup — only use after you have verified the command works on a copy.
Strip
exiftool -all= -overwrite_original in.jpg # everything (DESTRUCTIVE)
exiftool -gps:all= -overwrite_original in.jpg # GPS group only
exiftool -exif:all= -overwrite_original in.jpg # EXIF only, keep XMP/IPTC
exiftool -all= -tagsfromfile @ -orientation in.jpg # strip all, restore orientation
Copy
exiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg dst.jpg # all writable tags
exiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg "-DateTimeOriginal" "-Make" "-Model" dst.jpg
exiftool -TagsFromFile src.jpg -all:all dst.jpg # every group
Shift dates
exiftool "-AllDates+=0:0:0 1:0:0" *.jpg # +1 hour
exiftool "-AllDates-=0:0:1 0:0:0" *.jpg # -1 day
exiftool "-AllDates+=0:0:0 0:30:0" -if '$make eq "Apple"' *.jpg
AllDates is a convenience shortcut for DateTimeOriginal + CreateDate + ModifyDate. Date format is YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS (colons, not dashes).
GPS
exiftool -GPSLatitude=37.7749 -GPSLongitude=-122.4194 \
-GPSLatitudeRef=N -GPSLongitudeRef=W \
in.jpg
Write decimal latitude/longitude; the Ref tags (N/S for latitude, E/W for longitude) must be set too. ExifTool returns DMS on read unless you pass -n.
Extract thumbnail / preview
exiftool -b -ThumbnailImage in.jpg > thumb.jpg
exiftool -b -PreviewImage in.cr2 > preview.jpg
exiftool -b -JpgFromRaw in.nef > full.jpg
XMP sidecar
exiftool -o dst.xmp -tagsFromFile src.jpg # create sidecar from image
exiftool -tagsfromfile src.xmp dst.jpg # apply sidecar to image
Batch rename by capture date
exiftool '-FileName<DateTimeOriginal' -d '%Y%m%d_%H%M%S.%%le' *.jpg
# %%le = lowercase file extension; ExifTool interprets the outer %-codes, so double them.
Step 4 — Verify
Always read back after a write:
exiftool -G1 -a -s -Artist -Copyright -XMP:Rating in.jpg
For full roundtrip integrity: exiftool -validate -warning -a in.jpg.
Available scripts
scripts/exif.py— argparse wrapper over exiftool forread,write,strip,copy,shift-dates,gps,extract-thumbnail,batch-rename,sidecar. Supports--dry-runand--verbose. Stdlib only.
uv run ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/exif.py read --input in.jpg --json
uv run ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/exif.py write --input in.jpg --set "Artist=Alice" --set "Copyright=(c) 2026" --preserve-mtime
uv run ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/exif.py strip --input in.jpg --gps-only --preserve-mtime
uv run ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/exif.py shift-dates --input ./trip --delta "0:0:0 1:0:0"
uv run ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/exif.py batch-rename --dir ./trip --pattern DateTimeOriginal --format "%Y%m%d_%H%M%S.%%le"
Reference docs
- Read
references/exiftool.mdfor tag groups, format support matrix, date/GPS conventions, and the recipe book.
Gotchas
- Perl dependency: ExifTool is a Perl script.
perlmust be on$PATH(default on macOS and Linux; on Windows use the Strawberry build). - Backup file by default: every write creates
file.jpg_originalunless you pass-overwrite_original. That flag is fast but DANGEROUS — always verify on one file first, or keep your own backup tree. -Ppreserves file mtime. Without it, ExifTool sets the file's mtime to "now" on every write, which ruins date-based sorting.- Tag groups are distinct.
-XMP:Creator,-IPTC:By-line, and-EXIF:Artistare three separate fields on the same image. Write all three when you care about cross-tool interop (Lightroom, Bridge, Finder all look at different ones). - XMP is writable on almost everything — JPEG, TIFF, PDF, MP4, MOV, PSD, HEIC. EXIF is more restricted (largely JPEG/TIFF/HEIC/RAW).
- Date format is colons.
YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS— dashes will fail silently on some tags. AllDatesis a shortcut forDateTimeOriginal + CreateDate + ModifyDate.-FileModifyDateis the filesystem mtime and is separate.- GPS needs Ref tags. Writing
GPSLatitude=37.7749withoutGPSLatitudeRef=Nis ambiguous; some readers will treat it as unsigned. -nfor numeric output when piping to another tool — ExifTool's default formatting is human-friendly, not machine-friendly.-s -s -sgives tag value only, no tag name or group. Useful for$(exiftool -s3 -CreateDate in.jpg).-@ args.txtreads arguments from a file — use for long arg lists or to avoid shell quoting hell.-TagsFromFilewith-@reads JSON.- MakerNotes are vendor-specific. Editing Canon/Nikon/Sony/GoPro maker-notes can break vendor tools that re-read them. ExifTool preserves structure better than most, but still: back up.
- HEIC is supported (read and write, metadata only — not image data).
- MKV metadata support is limited — use
mkvpropeditfor MKV. QuickTime atoms (MP4/MOV) are fully writable. - Filter batches with
-if:exiftool -if '$make eq "Apple"' -TagsFromFile ... -r folder/. Faster than xargs piping. - Lightroom/PhotoMechanic/FastStone can collide. Close them before batch writes — they cache sidecars and may overwrite your changes.
- Sidecars vs embedded: when a
.xmpsidecar exists next to a file, some tools prefer it over the embedded XMP. Decide which is authoritative and stick with it.
Examples
Example 1: strip GPS before posting a photo online
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -gps:all= -xmp:geotag= vacation.jpg
exiftool -g1 -a -s vacation.jpg | grep -i gps # verify empty
Example 2: copy RAW tags onto the exported JPEG
exiftool -TagsFromFile IMG_0001.CR2 -all:all --orientation --thumbnailimage IMG_0001.jpg
# --orientation and --thumbnailimage mean "except these" (don't overwrite orientation/thumb on dst).
Example 3: batch-fix a 1-hour camera-clock offset across a trip folder
exiftool -P -overwrite_original -r "-AllDates+=0:0:0 1:0:0" ./trip_photos/
Example 4: rename files to YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.ext based on capture time
exiftool '-FileName<DateTimeOriginal' -d '%Y%m%d_%H%M%S%%-c.%%le' -r ./imports/
# %%-c appends -1, -2, etc. on collisions.
Example 5: write a full copyright block
exiftool -P -overwrite_original \
-EXIF:Artist="Alice Example" \
-XMP:Creator="Alice Example" \
-IPTC:By-line="Alice Example" \
-XMP:Rights="(c) 2026 Alice Example. All rights reserved." \
-IPTC:CopyrightNotice="(c) 2026 Alice Example" \
-EXIF:Copyright="(c) 2026 Alice Example" \
portfolio/*.jpg
Example 6: audit what's inside a HEIC
exiftool -g1 -a IMG_1234.HEIC
exiftool -j -struct IMG_1234.HEIC | jq .
Troubleshooting
Error: Error: Not a valid TAG=VALUE pair
Cause: stray shell glob, unquoted special character, or using = inside the value without quoting.
Solution: quote the whole assignment: -Comment="Shot at f/2.8".
Error: Warning: Sorry, ... is not writable
Cause: the tag group doesn't exist in that file type (e.g., writing EXIF to a PNG).
Solution: write to XMP instead: -XMP:Artist="Alice".
File has _original suffix everywhere after a batch
Cause: forgot -overwrite_original.
Solution: either delete the originals after verifying (find . -name '*_original' -delete) or rerun with -overwrite_original next time. Keep your own backup first.
Dates written but Finder/Lightroom still shows old value
Cause: tool reads FileModifyDate or a sidecar, not embedded EXIF.
Solution: also set -FileModifyDate, or delete the stale .xmp sidecar.
GPS writes succeed but map tools show (0, 0)
Cause: missing GPSLatitudeRef / GPSLongitudeRef.
Solution: always write both Ref tags alongside the coordinate values.
exiftool: command not found
Cause: not installed, or installed for a different Perl.
Solution: brew install exiftool (macOS) / apt install libimage-exiftool-perl (Debian). Verify perl -v works.