What Is EXIF Data and How Does It Help You Sort Photos?
EXIF data is extra information a camera or phone writes directly into an image file. It includes the capture date, camera model, exposure settings and often the GPS location. When sorting, it helps you order photos by date or place, but it says nothing about what is in the picture.
EXIF data is technical information that a camera or phone writes directly into the image file when you take a picture. EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format, a standard for image files such as JPEG and also the HEIC format used by iPhones. The data reveals when, with what and often where a photo was taken. It is part of a file's metadata.
What EXIF data contains
Which fields are filled depends on the device. Not every camera writes everything. Common fields:
| Field | Example | Use when sorting |
|---|---|---|
| Date and time taken | 2026-10-12, 14:32 | order by date or shoot day |
| Camera and lens | model, focal length | separate camera A from camera B |
| Exposure | aperture, shutter speed, ISO | technical checks |
| GPS coordinates | latitude, longitude, altitude | sort photos by location |
| Orientation | portrait or landscape | correct display |
| Image size | width and height in pixels | recognize formats |
One point matters a lot for creators: the capture date in the EXIF data is not the same as the date Google Drive shows. In its list, Drive shows the file's modified date, and that doesn't have to be the moment the photo was taken. If you want to order photos by the real day they were shot, you need the EXIF data. The guide on how to sort photos by date in Google Drive shows how.
How to view EXIF data
- Windows: right-click the image, choose Properties, open the Details tab.
- Mac: open the image in Preview, then show the Inspector from the Tools menu.
- Phone: open the image in your gallery app and open its details or info. You'll usually see the date, the device and the location there.
Videos store comparable information, such as capture time, duration and resolution, but usually in the video container's own format instead of EXIF. The principle is the same, programs just read it out with varying success.
When EXIF data is missing or wrong
EXIF data is fragile. Typical cases where it is missing or incorrect:
- Forwarded images. Messaging apps and social networks often recompress photos and remove metadata such as the location.
- Screenshots. They have no camera model and no location.
- Location services off. If the camera app isn't allowed to use location, there are no GPS coordinates. More on that under geotagging.
- Wrong clock. A camera whose clock was never set writes a wrong date.
- Edited exports. Some programs don't carry every field over when exporting.
For your archive that means: keep the original files and share them through a cloud folder instead of sending them by messenger. That is especially true when clients deliver material.
Using EXIF data when sorting
EXIF data answers when and where. It doesn't answer what. A photo from October 12 in Lisbon can be a product shot, a team photo or a sunset. For creators and agencies, both usually matter: the capture day for the shoot day, and the subject for the B-roll.
How Sorted combines EXIF data with image content
Sorted connects to your Google Drive. Gemini from Google recognizes what is in every photo and video, writes a description and keywords and suggests a category. Sorted Pro adds the information stored in the files: folders and search by location from the GPS data of photos and videos, and grouping into shoot days by capture date. Everything lands as a shortcut in the folder "Sortiert", and the originals stay unchanged. If a file has no GPS data, Sorted can't assign a place either. Try Sorted
Conclusion
EXIF data is a photo's built-in memory: time, device and often place. It helps you sort photos by date and location, but it says nothing about what is in the picture. Combine EXIF data with recognition of the image content and you get a content library where you actually find things.
Frequently asked questions
What is EXIF data?
EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format. It is a standard that cameras and phones use to store technical information in image files, such as capture time, camera model, aperture, ISO and often GPS coordinates. The data lives inside the file and travels with it.
How do I see the EXIF data of a photo?
On Windows, right-click the image, choose Properties and open the Details tab. On a Mac, open the image in Preview and show the Inspector. Many photo apps also show the capture date and location in an image's info view.
Do videos have EXIF data?
Videos store similar information such as capture time, duration, resolution and sometimes location, but usually in the video container's own format rather than as EXIF. In practice, videos have metadata too, it is just read out more or less well depending on the program.
Is EXIF data lost when I send a photo?
It can be. Many messaging apps and social networks recompress images and often remove metadata such as the location along the way. If you want to keep capture date and location, share the original files through a cloud folder.
Can I sort photos in Google Drive by EXIF data?
Google Drive reads some image metadata, but the folder view sorts by name or modified date, not by capture date or location. With Sorted Pro you can order photos and videos by place using their GPS data and group them into shoot days by recording date.