ExifTool

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ExifTool
Original author(s)Phil Harvey
Initial release19 November 2003 (21 years ago) (2003-11-19)[1]
Stable release
13.38[2] / 30 September 2025; 3 days ago (30 September 2025)
Repository
Written inPerl
Operating systemLinux, macOS, Windows
TypeTag editor
LicenseGPLv1+ or Artistic License
Websiteexiftool.org
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 (19 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. It is platform independent, available as both a Perl library (Image::ExifTool) and a command-line application. ExifTool is commonly incorporated into different types of digital workflows[3][4][5][6] and 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. This tool is often used in digital forensic analysis[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] and library archival.[15][16][17]

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.

Uses

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Websites and services that use ExifTool include:

Supported file formats

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ExifTool can read, edit or create files with the following formats:[22]

Reading support

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Edit support

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  • 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

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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

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ExifTool can read, edit or create the following types of metadata in JPEG images:[22]

JPEG Meta Information Can read? Can edit? Can create? Description
APP0 - JFIF Yes Yes Yes JPEG File Interchange Format
APP0 - JFXX Yes No No Extended JFIF
APP0 - CIFF Yes Yes No Camera Image File Format (used by some Canon models)
APP0 - AVI1 Yes No No JPEG AVI information
APP0 - Ocad Yes No No Photobucket Ocad segment
APP1 - EXIF Yes Yes Yes Exchangeable Image File Format (including maker notes)
APP1 - XMP Yes Yes Yes Extensible Metadata Platform (multi-segment)
APP1 - QVCI Yes No No Casio QV-7000SX QVCI information
APP1 - FLIR Yes No No FLIR thermal imaging data (multi-segment)
APP1 - RawThermalImage Yes No No Thermal image from Parrot Bebop-Pro Thermal drone
APP2 - ICC Yes Yes Yes International Color Consortium (multi-segment)
APP2 - FPXR Yes No No FlashPix Ready (multi-segment)
APP2 - MPF Yes No No Multi-Picture Format
APP2 - PreviewImage Yes No No Samsung APP2 preview image (multi-segment)
APP3 - Kodak Meta Yes Yes No Kodak Meta information (Exif-like)
APP3 - Stim Yes No No Stereo Still Image format
APP3 - PreviewImage Yes No No Samsung/HP preview image (multi-segment)
APP4 - Scalado Yes No No (presumably written by Scalado mobile software)
APP4 - FPXR Yes No No FlashPix Ready in non-standard location (multi-segment)
APP4 - PreviewImage Yes No No (continued from APP3)
APP5 - Ricoh RMETA Yes No No Ricoh custom fields
APP5 - Samsung UniqueID Yes No No Samsung Unique ID
APP5 - PreviewImage Yes No No (continued from APP4)
APP6 - EPPIM Yes No No Toshiba PrintIM
APP6 - NITF Yes No No National Imagery Transmission Format
APP6 - HP TDHD Yes No No Hewlett-Packard Photosmart R837 TDHD information
APP6 - GoPro Yes No No GoPro Metadata Format (GPMF) information
APP7 - Pentax Yes No No Pentax APP7 maker notes
APP7 - Qualcomm Yes No No Qualcomm Camera Attributes
APP8 - SPIFF Yes No No Still Picture Interchange File Format
APP9 - Media Jukebox Yes No No Media Jukebox XML information
APP10 - Comment Yes No No PhotoStudio Unicode Comment
APP11 - JPEG-HDR Yes No No JPEG-HDR compressed ratio image
APP12 - Picture Info Yes No No ASCII-based Picture Information
APP12 - Ducky Yes Yes Yes Photoshop "Save for Web"
APP13 - Photoshop IRB Yes Yes Yes Image Resource Block (multi-segment, includes IPTC)
APP13 - Adobe CM Yes No No Adobe Color Management
APP14 - Adobe Yes Yes Yes Adobe DCT filter
APP15 - GraphicConverter Yes No No GraphicConverter quality
COM Yes Yes Yes JPEG Comment (multi-segment)
DQT Yes No No (used to calculate the Extra:JPEGDigest tag value)
SOF Yes No No JPEG Start Of Frame
AFCP trailer Yes Yes No AXS File Concatenation Protocol (includes IPTC)
CanonVRD trailer Yes Yes Yes Canon DPP Recipe Data
FotoStation trailer Yes Yes No FotoWare FotoStation (includes IPTC)
PhotoMechanic trailer Yes Yes No Camera Bits Photo Mechanic
MIE trailer Yes Yes No Meta Information Encapsulation
Samsung trailer Yes No No Samsung Galaxy trailer
PreviewImage trailer Yes Yes Yes (preview image written after JPEG EOI)
EmbeddedVideo trailer Yes No No (extracted only with ExtractEmbedded option)

Programming libraries

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ExifTool is available as the native Perl library Image::ExifTool.[23] The Python PyExifTool module provides a wrapper to the system version of ExifTool.[24] Further programming resources are given on the ExifTool project webpage.

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 1 October 2025.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Toevs, Brian (November 2015). "Processing of Metadata on Multimedia using ExifTool". IEEE. pp. 26–30. doi:10.1109/GOCICT.2015.14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. ^ Dunn, Iain (12 August 2018). "Automated Photo Workflow using Hazel Rules and ExifTool". medium.com. Medium.
  6. ^ "ExifTool Tutorial Series". weareavp.com. AVP. December 2015. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Borah, Pallab Jyoti. "ExifTool Meta-Data Extractor Image Forensics Tool". securiumsolutions.com. Securium Solutions. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  9. ^ Prior, Tarran (12 November 2023). "Using ExifTool to Extract Metadata from Image Files". osintteam.com. OSINT. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  10. ^ Hidajat, Christovito (3 October 2021). "Digital Image Forensics: Ways to Investigate Images' Reliability". medium.com. Medium. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  11. ^ Wake, Taz. "ExifTool basics for DFIR". linkedin.com. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  12. ^ Matthews, Richard. "Explainer: How Law Enforcement Decodes Your Photos". phys.org. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  13. ^ "Exif Extension". Guidelines for Handling Image Metadata. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-31. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Klose, Annamarie. "Embedded Metadata". atlassian.net. OSUL. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  16. ^ Duryee, Alexander; Lyons, Bertram. "Two Open-Source Tools for Digital Asset Metadata Management". cornell.edu. AVPreserve. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  17. ^ "Reading and Writing Embedded Metadata". CarLibrary.org. Car Library. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  18. ^ "Advanced Renamer - Free and fast batch rename utility for files and folders". Advanced Renamer website. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  19. ^ cberry (June 1, 2012). "Parsing Exif client-side using JavaScript". code.flickr.com. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  20. ^ "Hugin Preferences - PanoTools.org Wiki". Hugin manual on Sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  21. ^ Harvey, Phil. "ExifTool by Phil Harvey". ExifTool website. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  22. ^ a b Supported File Types
  23. ^ Harvey, Phil. "The Image::ExifTool Perl Library Module". ExifTool website. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  24. ^ "PyExifTool". PyPI website. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
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