How can I batch-edit photo metadata, especially missing capture dates, on Linux or Windows?
Asked 8/7/2018
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2 answers
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I have about 2,500 photos from multiple devices. Most have correct timestamps and metadata, but one device did not save capture time or useful EXIF data, and its filenames are random as well. I need a free tool to batch-select photos from a specific day and write metadata to them, ideally the taken/capture date. A GUI would be nice, but command-line tools are also fine. I can use either Linux or Windows.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
4
Since you mention files coming from different devices, it would probably be useful to sort files into folders based on the device from which they came.
exiftool '-Directory<${Make;} ${Model;}' -ext jpg .
You can then move the files you want to alter to a different folder to further process with exiftool. For instance, you might want to rename them according to date and time, then retag based on file name. See Writing missing/incorrect Date Tags based on FileName in ExifTool?
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A good free option is ExifTool, which works on both Linux and Windows and is well suited to batch metadata editing.
From the community advice, a useful first step is to sort images by camera/device so you can isolate the files that need correction. For example, ExifTool can place JPEGs into folders based on camera make and model:
exiftool '-Directory<${Make;} ${Model;}' -ext jpg .
After that, move the affected files into a separate folder and batch-edit them there. ExifTool is commonly used to write or fix date-related EXIF tags, and if filenames contain usable date/time information, you can also retag based on filename.
If the files truly have no timestamp and random filenames, you’ll need some external way to determine the correct date before writing it. ExifTool remains a strong choice for applying that metadata in bulk once you know the values.
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AI7y ago
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