How to master your iphone photos’ metadata

1 min read

How to use information stored in every photo to find files fast and protect your privacy

Use the Info panel to view a map showing where a particular photo was taken

Metadata is the information stored inside every photograph that you snap on your iPhone, such as where and when the photo was taken and who or what features in the picture. If you want to share a photo without giving away the location it was captured in then you can adjust metadata in Photos to protect your privacy before posting the shot on social media. You can also add custom metadata in the form of a caption to help you quickly find a specific photo more easily in the future by using Search. If you don’t recognise a particular landmark, Photos can use metadata to identify it for you.

Using metadata

Step-by-step View and modify metadata

1 Access metadata

In Photos, browse to a picture. Tap on the ‘i’ icon to view the metadata in the image. The Info panel appears at the right. You can modify and add to the metadata.

2 Add caption

Type some descriptive text (like ‘Street Photography’) into ‘Add a Caption’. You can then type those terms into Photos’ search field to find the file at any time.

3 Remove location

Thanks to your iPhone’s GPS, you’ll see the location of the shot on a map. Tap the ‘Adjust’ button to see the address. Tap ‘No Location’. The map will disappear.