Best Metadata Extractors: View & Edit File Metadata on Any OS

Every digital file you create carries invisible information beyond what you see on screen. Photos from your iPhone contain GPS coordinates showing exactly where you took them. PDFs store author names and editing history. Videos record camera models, codecs, and timestamps. This hidden data is called metadata, and learning to extract it reveals a wealth of information you didn't know existed.

Whether you're a photographer organizing thousands of images, a privacy advocate removing location data before sharing files, or a developer debugging media processing pipelines, understanding metadata extraction is essential. This guide covers everything you need to know about viewing, editing, and removing metadata from any file type.

What is File Metadata?

Metadata is structured information embedded within or alongside your files that describes their properties, origins, and technical characteristics. Think of it as a digital fingerprint that travels with your content.

Common metadata includes creation dates, file sizes, author information, camera settings, GPS coordinates, software versions, and editing history. Operating systems use metadata for search indexing and file organization. Applications rely on it for compatibility checks and feature detection.

The key distinction: metadata describes your content without being the content itself. A photo's pixel data is content. The camera model, aperture setting, and timestamp are metadata.

Types of Metadata You Can Extract

EXIF Data (Images)

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is the most common metadata standard for photos. Every image from your camera or smartphone embeds EXIF data automatically.

Typical EXIF fields include camera make and model, lens specifications, exposure settings (ISO, shutter speed, aperture), focal length, flash status, white balance, date and time captured, and often GPS coordinates showing exactly where the photo was taken.

Professional photographers use EXIF data to analyze their shooting patterns and improve technique. But this same data can expose private information if you share photos online without removing location tags first.

IPTC and XMP (Professional Photography)

IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) metadata stores editorial information like captions, keywords, copyright notices, creator credits, and usage rights. News agencies and stock photo services rely heavily on IPTC standards.

XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) is Adobe's more flexible metadata framework supporting custom fields and complex data structures. Lightroom, Photoshop, and Bridge all write XMP metadata for cataloging and editing history.

Unlike EXIF which is baked into image files, XMP can exist as sidecar files making it easier to manage without modifying original images.

Video Metadata

Video files contain extensive technical metadata beyond what images store. Container formats (MP4, MOV, MKV) embed codec information, frame rates, bitrates, resolution, aspect ratio, color space, audio track details, subtitle languages, chapter markers, and encoding software signatures.

Streaming services use this metadata to select appropriate quality levels. Editors need it to ensure footage compatibility. Forensic analysts examine it to verify authenticity.

Document Metadata (PDFs, Office Files)

PDFs and Office documents track author names, creation and modification timestamps, software versions, revision history, embedded fonts, page counts, word counts, and sometimes even the full editing history showing every change made.

This metadata has exposed sensitive information in redacted government documents when agencies failed to properly strip metadata before public release.

Best Metadata Extraction Tools

ExifTool (Command Line)

ExifTool is the industry standard for metadata extraction. This free, open-source command-line tool reads and writes metadata for virtually every file format imaginable — over 500 formats supported including images, videos, audio, PDFs, and raw camera files.

Installation:

On Mac using Homebrew:

brew install exiftool

On Windows, download the executable from the official website. On Linux:

sudo apt-get install libimage-exiftool-perl

Basic usage:

View all metadata from a file:

exiftool image.jpg

Extract specific fields:

exiftool -Make -Model -DateTimeOriginal photo.jpg

View GPS coordinates:

exiftool -GPSPosition -GPSAltitude vacation.jpg

Process all images in a folder:

exiftool -r -ext jpg -ext png /path/to/folder

Export metadata to CSV for analysis:

exiftool -csv -r *.jpg > metadata.csv

Remove all metadata:

exiftool -all= image.jpg

Pros: Supports everything, extremely powerful, scriptable, free and open source, actively maintained, available on all platforms.

Cons: Command-line interface intimidates beginners, steep learning curve for advanced features, no visual preview of changes.

MediaInfo (Video Metadata Specialist)

MediaInfo focuses specifically on video and audio files, providing detailed technical information about codecs, containers, bitrates, and stream properties. It's indispensable for video editors and encoding engineers.

Features: Displays codec details (H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1), container formats (MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI), bitrate and compression analysis, audio track information, subtitle streams, frame rate and GOP structure, color space and HDR metadata.

MediaInfo offers both GUI and CLI versions. The graphical interface presents data in easy-to-read tree views with different detail levels (basic, intermediate, advanced).

Installation: Download from the official MediaInfo website. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Also accessible as a web service for quick checks without installing software.

Pros: Specialized for video analysis, clear presentation of technical data, multiple viewing modes, supports exotic formats, free and open source.

Cons: Limited to audio/video files, no metadata editing capabilities, less comprehensive than ExifTool for non-video formats.

Built-in OS Tools

Both Mac and Windows include basic metadata viewing capabilities without installing third-party software.

macOS Preview:

Open any image in Preview, press Cmd+I to open the Inspector panel, then click the "i" tab to view EXIF data. Preview shows common fields like dimensions, color profile, DPI, camera model, and capture settings. You can also use "Show Inspector" from the Tools menu.

macOS Finder:

Select a file and press Cmd+I (Get Info). The "More Info" section displays creation/modification dates, dimensions, color profile, and some camera information for photos.

Windows File Explorer:

Right-click any file and select "Properties," then navigate to the "Details" tab. Windows shows creation dates, dimensions, camera information, GPS coordinates, and allows basic metadata editing by clicking field values.

Pros: No installation required, intuitive graphical interface, sufficient for casual use, integrated into workflow.

Cons: Limited metadata fields displayed, no batch processing, can't handle advanced formats, no scripting capabilities.

GUI Metadata Editors

For users who need ExifTool's power without the command line, several graphical applications provide friendly interfaces.

ExifToolGUI wraps ExifTool with a Windows GUI supporting batch editing, custom commands, and visual metadata tables.

Exif Pilot (Windows) offers professional features like EXIF/IPTC/XMP editing, GPS mapping, and batch operations with commercial and free versions.

PhotoME (Windows) provides comprehensive metadata viewing and editing with plugin support for additional formats.

For Mac users, tools like Compresto handle media file management including viewing technical metadata while optimizing file sizes. While primarily a compression tool, it provides insight into video codecs, frame rates, and other metadata that affects file size optimization.

Command-Line vs GUI Tools: Which to Choose?

Command-line tools like ExifTool excel at batch processing, automation, scripting, precise control, and integration with other tools. If you're processing hundreds of files or building automated workflows, CLI tools are essential.

GUI applications shine for quick inspection, visual learning, comparing multiple files side-by-side, and accessibility for non-technical users. They're perfect for occasional use and exploring what metadata exists.

Most professionals use both: GUI tools for exploratory analysis and quick checks, CLI tools for production workflows and automation. Start with built-in OS tools, graduate to specialized GUI apps, then learn command-line tools when you need power and scale.

Privacy Implications of Metadata

Metadata leaks private information more often than people realize. Photos posted on social media may reveal your home address through embedded GPS coordinates. Documents can expose author identities and organizational details. Videos might contain device fingerprints allowing tracking across platforms.

Real-World Privacy Risks

Location tracking: Photos from your phone contain GPS coordinates accurate to within meters. Posting images from home, work, or your children's school inadvertently shares these locations publicly.

Device fingerprinting: Cameras, phones, and software leave unique signatures in metadata. Analyzing EXIF patterns across multiple files can identify which device created them, potentially linking anonymous posts to specific individuals.

Timestamp correlation: Creation and modification timestamps can establish timelines of activity, location histories, and social connections by correlating metadata from multiple sources.

Professional exposure: Freelancers and agencies sometimes accidentally reveal client information through document metadata showing editing history and internal file paths.

Metadata Removal Before Sharing

Always strip metadata before sharing files publicly. Social media platforms claim to remove metadata automatically, but implementations vary and bugs occur. Don't rely on platforms — clean files yourself.

For images:

exiftool -all= photo.jpg

For videos (more complex, may affect playback):

exiftool -all= video.mp4

Selective removal (keep date, remove GPS):

exiftool -gps:all= photo.jpg

Batch clean entire folder:

exiftool -all= -r /path/to/folder

Some tools create backup copies with "_original" suffix. Delete these after verifying cleaned files work correctly.

Be aware that completely removing all metadata can itself signal manipulation. For authentic-looking files, consider selectively removing only sensitive fields (GPS, serial numbers) while preserving basic camera settings.

Step-by-Step: Extracting Metadata from Different File Types

Extract Image EXIF Data

Using ExifTool:

exiftool photo.jpg

For specific fields only:

exiftool -Make -Model -LensModel -ISO -ShutterSpeed -Aperture -FocalLength photo.jpg

Using macOS Preview: Open image, press Cmd+I, click Info tab.

Using Windows: Right-click image, select Properties, navigate to Details tab.

Analyze Video Metadata

Using MediaInfo GUI: Open file in MediaInfo, switch between "Basic," "Sheet," and "Tree" views for different detail levels.

Using ExifTool:

exiftool video.mp4

For codec-specific details:

exiftool -G1 -a -s video.mp4 | grep -i codec

Extract Document Metadata

PDF metadata with ExifTool:

exiftool document.pdf

Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint):

exiftool report.docx

Windows users can right-click Office files and edit basic metadata directly in the Properties dialog.

Extract Audio File Tags

ExifTool handles audio metadata (ID3 tags, etc.):

exiftool song.mp3

For batch album analysis:

exiftool -csv -r -ext mp3 /Music/Album/ > album_metadata.csv

Advanced Metadata Extraction Techniques

Batch Processing Thousands of Files

ExifTool's recursive directory processing handles massive libraries efficiently:

exiftool -r -ext jpg -ext png -ext mp4 -csv /path/to/media/ > complete_metadata.csv

This creates a spreadsheet containing metadata from all supported files in the directory tree, perfect for importing into databases or analysis tools.

Extracting GPS Coordinates and Mapping

Pull GPS data and convert to decimal degrees:

exiftool -n -GPSPosition photos/*.jpg

The -n flag outputs coordinates as decimal numbers instead of degrees/minutes/seconds format, ready for mapping services.

Comparing Metadata Across Files

Find all photos taken with a specific lens:

exiftool -if '$LensModel =~ /24-70/' -FileName -DateTimeOriginal -r .

Identify images missing GPS data:

exiftool -if 'not $GPSPosition' -FileName -r .

Metadata Forensics

Verify if files have been edited:

exiftool -Software -ModifyDate -FileModifyDate suspicious.jpg

Discrepancies between embedded timestamps and filesystem dates can indicate manipulation.

Metadata Tools Comparison

Tool	Platform	File Types	Interface	Editing	Best For
ExifTool	All	500+ formats	CLI	Yes	Power users, automation
MediaInfo	All	Video/Audio	GUI + CLI	No	Video analysis
Preview (Mac)	macOS	Images, PDFs	GUI	Limited	Quick viewing
File Properties	Windows	Common formats	GUI	Basic	Casual users
ExifToolGUI	Windows	500+ formats	GUI	Yes	GUI with power
Compresto	macOS	Media files	GUI	No	Mac media optimization

When to Use Metadata Extractors

Photography workflow: Organize images by camera settings, identify best performing focal lengths, track lens usage statistics, verify copyright information before publishing.

Video production: Verify codec compatibility before editing, analyze compression efficiency, troubleshoot playback issues, ensure delivery specifications match requirements.

Digital forensics: Establish file authenticity, detect manipulation, build timelines from timestamps, identify source devices.

Privacy protection: Remove sensitive data before sharing, verify metadata removal after cleaning, audit files for information leaks.

Media asset management: Index large libraries by technical properties, find files matching specific criteria, migrate metadata between systems.

Quality assurance: Verify encoding parameters match specifications, identify corrupted or mismatched files, validate delivery requirements.

Metadata Extraction Best Practices

Start with built-in OS tools for casual needs, then graduate to specialized software as requirements grow. Learn ExifTool's basic commands even if you prefer GUI tools — it's invaluable for scripting and edge cases.

Always make backups before editing metadata in place. Some tools create automatic backups, but verify this before processing irreplaceable files.

Document your metadata extraction workflows. Scripts and commands you write today will save hours when processing similar files next month.

Respect privacy when handling others' files. Metadata often contains personal information — treat it accordingly and secure exported data.

Stay updated on metadata standards. New formats emerge constantly (AVIF images, AV1 video, etc.) and tools need updates to support them properly.

Conclusion

Metadata extraction reveals the hidden story behind every digital file. From photographers analyzing their craft to privacy advocates protecting personal information, understanding metadata empowers you to work smarter and safer.

Start with your operating system's built-in tools to explore what metadata your files contain. Install MediaInfo if you work with video. Learn ExifTool's basic commands for power and flexibility. Consider GUI wrappers if command lines aren't your preference.

The metadata embedded in your files contains more information than you realize — now you know how to access it. Whether optimizing workflows, protecting privacy, or simply satisfying curiosity, these metadata extraction tools put you in control of the invisible information surrounding your digital life.

For Mac users working with large media collections, tools like Compresto provide convenient access to technical metadata while handling the practical task of optimizing file sizes — useful when metadata reveals inefficient encoding that's bloating your storage.