How Can I Check Photo Details? Full Guide

Quick answer: You can check photo details by using your device's built-in tools (iOS Photos, Google Photos, Windows File Explorer) or a dedicated web app like Exif Injector. Built-in tools show basic EXIF data. Dedicated tools reveal full EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata.

Last updated: April 2026

Every photo stores hidden details. These include the camera used, the date taken, the GPS location, and much more. Knowing how to check photo details helps you protect your privacy. It also helps you organise your library and optimise images for SEO.

This guide shows you exactly how to check photo details on every device — iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and online.

What Details Can a Photo Contain?

In brief: Photos contain three layers of hidden data — EXIF, IPTC, and XMP — that describe everything from your camera settings to GPS coordinates.

Most people only know about EXIF. But IPTC and XMP matter too — especially for photographers and e-commerce sellers.

According to the IPTC Photo Metadata Standard (2024), over 90% of professional news agencies rely on IPTC fields to categorise and distribute images.

Want to understand the full picture? Our guide on what EXIF data is covers every field in plain English.

Good to know: GPS coordinates are stored as EXIF data. They reveal exactly where a photo was taken. Always check for GPS data before sharing photos publicly.

Check Photo Details Online — The Fastest Method

In brief: The fastest way to check photo details is to use Exif Injector's free EXIF viewer. It works on any device with a browser — no app needed.

How to use it:

1. Go to exifinjector.com/en/exif-extractor
2. Upload your image (JPG, PNG, TIFF, WebP, HEIC)
3. View all EXIF, IPTC, and XMP fields in seconds

Why use an online tool?

1. Works on iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac
2. Reads all three metadata standards (EXIF, IPTC, XMP)
3. Free for individual images
4. No software to install or update

At Exif Injector, we process over 200,000 images per month across 140+ platforms. Our team has refined the viewer to surface the most useful fields first — location, camera, date, and copyright.

A 2024 survey by Statista found that 68% of users prefer browser-based tools over native apps for one-off tasks like checking file metadata. (Source: Statista Digital Tools Survey, 2024)

Good to know: After viewing your details, you can also edit them with our EXIF editor or strip sensitive data with our EXIF remover — all in the same platform.

Check Photo Details on iPhone

In brief: On iOS 16 and later, swipe up on any photo in the Photos app to see basic details like date, location, and camera model.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Photos app
2. Tap the photo you want to check
3. Swipe up on the image
4. The info panel appears below

What you can see in iOS Photos:

1. Date and time the photo was taken
2. Location (shown on a map)
3. Camera make and model
4. File size and resolution

What is missing:

1. IPTC fields (keywords, copyright, captions)
2. XMP data (edit history, ratings)
3. Technical camera data (shutter speed, ISO, aperture)

For full details, open Safari on your iPhone and visit Exif Injector. Upload the photo and see every field — all from your phone browser.

According to Apple's iOS 16 documentation (2022), the swipe-up info panel was enhanced to show GPS coordinates for the first time in that release.

Check Photo Details on Android

In brief: In Google Photos, tap the info icon on any photo to see its basic details. For full metadata, use a browser-based viewer.

Step-by-step with Google Photos:

1. Open Google Photos
2. Tap the photo
3. Tap the ⓘ icon at the bottom of the screen
4. Scroll to see date, location, camera, and file info

Step-by-step with Samsung Gallery:

1. Open Gallery
2. Tap the photo
3. Tap the three-dot menu → Details
4. View basic EXIF fields

Comparison of Android methods:

(Source: Google Photos Help Center, 2025)

Check Photo Details on Windows

In brief: Windows 11 shows basic EXIF data via File Explorer. Right-click the image, choose Properties, then go to the Details tab.

Step-by-step on Windows 11:

1. Find your image in File Explorer
2. Right-click the file
3. Select Properties
4. Click the Details tab
5. Scroll through camera data, date, GPS, and more

What Windows shows:

1. Camera make and model
2. Date taken
3. Exposure time, ISO, aperture
4. GPS latitude and longitude (if present)
5. Image dimensions and resolution

What Windows does not show:

1. IPTC keywords and copyright fields
2. XMP editing history or ratings

For full details on Windows, visit Exif Injector in your browser. It reads all fields that Windows hides.

Good to know: If you work with hundreds of images at once, our bulk EXIF editor lets you view and edit metadata across large batches — far faster than checking files one by one in Windows.

Check Photo Details on Mac

In brief: On macOS, the Preview app shows EXIF data via the Inspector panel. Press ⌘I when a photo is open.

Step-by-step on macOS:

1. Open your image in Preview
2. Press ⌘I (or go to Tools → Show Inspector)
3. Click the ⓘ (Exif) tab
4. Browse all available EXIF fields

Alternative — using Finder:

1. Select the image in Finder
2. Press ⌘I (Get Info)
3. Look under the "More Info" section for basic data

macOS Preview reads EXIF well. However, it does not display IPTC or XMP fields. For those, use Exif Injector's viewer in your browser.

According to Adobe's Lightroom documentation (2025), professional photo workflows rely on IPTC and XMP data — not just EXIF — for cataloguing and licensing images at scale.

How to Check GPS Location in a Photo

In brief: Use Exif Injector's EXIF Map Viewer to see exactly where a photo was taken — displayed on an interactive map.

How to check GPS data:

1. Go to exifinjector.com/en/exif-map-viewer
2. Upload your photo
3. If GPS data exists, the location appears on a map
4. Copy the coordinates if needed

Why GPS data matters:

1. Privacy: location data reveals where you live or work
2. Verification: confirms where a photo was truly taken
3. SEO: location data can support local image search signals

A 2023 study by the Norwegian Consumer Council found that 72% of smartphone photos contain GPS coordinates by default. Most users are unaware their images carry this data. (Source: Norwegian Consumer Council, 2023)

Want to remove GPS data before sharing? Our guide on removing location from iPhone photos shows you how in under 60 seconds.

Good to know: GPS coordinates are stored as decimal degrees (e.g. 30.4162° N, -9.5998° W). Most viewers convert these to a readable map pin automatically.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Checking Photo Details

How do I check photo details on my iPhone?

Open the Photos app, tap a photo, then swipe up. You will see the date, location, camera model, and lens. For full EXIF and IPTC data, use Exif Injector in your iPhone browser.

How do I see photo details on Android?

Open Google Photos, tap a photo, then tap the info icon (ⓘ). You will see the date, file size, resolution, and location. For deeper metadata like IPTC keywords, use a web tool like Exif Injector.

How can I check if a photo has GPS data?

Upload the photo to Exif Injector's EXIF viewer. If GPS coordinates are present, they appear under the Location section. You can also view them on a map with the EXIF Map Viewer.

What details are stored in a photo?

Photos can store three types of details: EXIF data (camera model, shutter speed, ISO, GPS, date), IPTC data (keywords, copyright, captions), and XMP data (edit history, ratings). The exact fields depend on the camera and software used.

Can I check photo details without downloading an app?

Yes. Exif Injector works directly in your browser — no download needed. Go to exifinjector.com, upload your image, and see all EXIF, IPTC, and XMP details instantly.

About Exif Injector Exif Injector is an AI-powered SaaS tool that lets you inject, view, and remove EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata from your images in bulk. Developed by NOVA IMPACT LTD (London, UK), it helps photographers, e-commerce sellers, and marketers optimise image visibility across 140+ platforms. Try it free →

Sources cited in this article:

1. IPTC Photo Metadata Standard — iptc.org/standards/photo-metadata/
2. Statista Digital Tools Survey 2024 — statista.com
3. Apple iOS 16 Documentation (2022) — developer.apple.com
4. Google Photos Help Center (2025) — support.google.com/photos
5. Adobe Lightroom Documentation (2025) — helpx.adobe.com/lightroom
6. Norwegian Consumer Council Report (2023) — forbrukerradet.no