Capture date or file date: what is the difference?
| Field | What it describes |
|---|---|
| Original capture date | The capture time recorded in the metadata. |
| Digitization date | When the digital image data was created. For digitized photographs, this may differ from the capture date. |
| Metadata modification date | A recorded modification time, not necessarily the original capture. |
| Browser-reported file modification date | The selected file’s last modification date, as reported by the browser. This is file information, not an EXIF capture date. |
Each available date field has its own label. When a field is missing, we do not substitute a capture date from another source.
A time without a time zone is not a global timestamp
A value such as “June 18, 2024, 14:30” may be stored without a time zone. You cannot tell whether this was local time in the Netherlands or Japan, for example. Your current device’s time zone does not supply the missing information.
EXIF has separate fields for time zone offsets. We clearly identify missing time zones and do not add UTC or a Dutch time zone. When comparing photos from different countries, remember that camera clocks can also be set incorrectly.
An old photo with today’s date
For example, a holiday photo was taken years ago but copied to your laptop today. Your device may show today as the file date, while the old capture date remains inside the photo. The two dates describe different events.
Copying, downloading and editing can change dates. Different dates alone do not prove manipulation. A JPEG copy without metadata may also receive a new file date when downloaded.
Preserve the capture date when sharing
Our checker can remove location from a JPEG copy while preserving its capture date. Uncheck Photo dates before choosing Remove metadata . Supported date fields are then included in the new copy. We do not fill in missing dates or time zones.
Then read the recheck: the capture date should appear under Preserved if it was found and supported. Want to remove photo dates instead? Keep the box checked. Either way, a download may receive a new file date; that is not a new capture date.
What if no capture date is recorded?
We did not find a recognizable capture date in this file. A date in the filename can be a clue, but is not verified capture data. We do not guess dates from clothing, light or other visible content.
To reconstruct a timeline, keep the original and compare independent sources you can access yourself. Allow for mistakes: metadata can be edited and camera clocks can be wrong.
View the date fields in your own photo or first read which other EXIF fields may be present.
Edit a capture date yourself
With Edit metadata you can edit a JPEG copy’s EXIF capture date. Enter the year, month, day and time; we do not add a missing time zone. When editing, we omit the old associated time zone and fractional seconds.
Other dates, such as those in additional metadata, do not change automatically. The recheck shows the fields found. A date you enter is not proof of when the photo was taken.
Check a date yourself
Our metadata tool shows additional technical fields. To correct an inaccurate date in a JPEG copy, use the EXIF editor. Check which date fields remain after saving; a file date on your device is not automatically the capture date.