How to add or edit photo metadata

Reading metadata is only half the story. Sometimes you need to add copyright, fix a wrong date, correct a location, or tag photos with keywords. Here is how, on every platform.

Last updated: August 2026

There are good reasons to write metadata rather than just read or remove it: asserting copyright on your work, adding searchable keywords, correcting a camera clock that was set wrong, or fixing a location. This guide covers the practical options, from built-in tools to professional software. (If your goal is the opposite — stripping data before sharing — see how to remove metadata instead.)

Windows: edit basic fields in File Explorer

  1. Right-click the image and choose Properties.
  2. Open the Details tab.
  3. Click a value next to fields like Title, Tags, Authors, or Copyright and type your own.
  4. Click Apply.

This is the quickest way to add a title, keywords or a copyright line. It exposes a limited set of fields, so for GPS or advanced tags you will need a dedicated tool.

Mac: edit in Photos or Preview

In the Photos app you can select an image and use Image → Locationto add or change where it was taken, and the info panel (⌘ I) to edit the date, time, caption and keywords. Preview can adjust some fields too, though it is more limited.

Phones

Lightroom and photo managers

If you work with photos seriously, a digital asset manager like Adobe Lightroom, Capture One or the free digiKam is the best tool. They let you apply keywords, captions, copyright and ratings across hundreds of images at once, writing the data as IPTC and XMP fields. This is how professionals keep large libraries organized and protected.

ExifTool: the power option

For full control, ExifTool is a free command-line utility that can read and write virtually any tag. A few examples:

ExifTool is precise and scriptable, which makes it ideal for batch corrections — but its syntax has a learning curve, so back up your files before experimenting.

Verify your changes

After editing, confirm the result. Upload the file to MetaLens and check that your new caption, copyright, date or location appears as expected. It is the fastest way to be sure the write actually took effect and landed in the right field — the same verification habit we recommend for the tags in the glossary.

Ready to inspect your own image?

MetaLens reads your photo's metadata in your browser session and never stores the file.

Inspect an image