File Metadata Viewer
View file metadata and information
Click or drop any file hereChoose any file
About File Metadata Viewer
File Metadata Viewer shows what a file really is and what it carries. It lists the name, size, extension, the type the browser guesses from the name, the last-modified date, and the real format read from the first bytes (46 known signatures), and warns when the content does not match the extension. It then reads the metadata stored inside photos (EXIF, including the GPS position), PDFs, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX and OpenDocument files, ZIP archives, and MP3 ID3 tags. It does not show pixel dimensions or media duration, and old .doc, .xls, and .ppt files get no inside metadata.
How to view the metadata of a file
- 1Choose any file; the rows appear as soon as it is read.
- 2Read the six rows: name, size, extension, type given by the name, real format from the content, and last modified date.
- 3Check the warning, if one appears, that the content does not match the extension.
- 4Scroll to the groups of metadata found inside the file, such as Camera (EXIF) or Location (GPS).
Formats and limits
- Format detection
- 46 signatures: images, audio, video, documents, archives, and more
- Inside metadata
- JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, AVIF, and WebP photos (EXIF, GPS, XMP), PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, OpenDocument, ZIP, MP3 (ID3)
- Not shown
- Pixel dimensions, duration, the properties of old .doc, .xls, and .ppt files, and PDF or ZIP details of files over 300 MB
- Files
- One file per reading; choosing another replaces the result
Where your file is processed
The file is read by this page through the File API of your browser; it is not uploaded, so a GPS position or an author name found inside stays on your device. Nothing in the file is changed, and no copy of it is kept by the page once you choose another file or leave.
Frequently asked questions
Can it tell if a file was renamed?
Yes. When the first bytes show, say, a Windows program while the name ends in .jpg, a warning names the real format and its usual extension. The type the browser gives cannot do this, because it comes from the name only.
Does it show the GPS location of a photo?
Yes, when the photo stores one: a Location (GPS) group gives latitude and longitude (and altitude when stored), next to the camera, lens, and date in Camera (EXIF), for JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, AVIF, and WebP files. Check it before you share a photo.
Does it read Word and Excel properties?
Yes. DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX show title, author, last modified by, company, pages, or words; OpenDocument files show title, author, dates, and generator. No for the older .doc, .xls, and .ppt formats: their format is recognized, but their inside properties are not read.
Can it show image dimensions or video length?
No. This tool reads the bytes and the stored properties only. For pixel dimensions, use Image Metadata Viewer, which reads the picture itself; for duration and codecs, use Video Metadata Viewer, which reads the video or audio file.
Tips and tricks
- ✓A plain text file shows "Not recognized" as its real format: text has no signature, so that is normal.