HEIC Metadata Viewer
Inspect location data, camera settings, and maker notes from HEIC/HEIF photos without changing HDR or depth data.
Drag & drop a file here, or click to select
Max file size: 100 MB
Looking to remove metadata instead? Go to the Metadata Remover.
Why view HEIC metadata?
Checking HEIC metadata helps you protect privacy, verify authenticity, and understand how the file was created.
Protect privacy
Catch GPS trails, device IDs, and captions in your HEIC before posting or handing off.
Verify authenticity
Check capture time, camera/lens settings, and export software to spot edits in your HEIC.
Prep delivery
See color profiles, dimensions, and orientation so HEIC exports look correct on every screen.
Preview the report layout
See how we surface EXIF, PDF, and video metadata before you upload your own file.
Example Metadata Report
After uploading, you'll get a detailed breakdown of your file's hidden data, similar to the example below.
Want to check your own file's metadata? Upload it above - no signup required.
Our secure process
We show you exactly what happens when you upload a file, so you know where your data goes and what stays untouched.
Upload over HTTPS
Pick or drop your HEIC. Transfers are secure.
Parse metadata only
We read headers and metadata blocks; the file content is not changed or recompressed.
Highlight key signals
We group timestamps, authorship, location, and technical fields so you can spot what matters quickly.
Display readable results
You see structured metadata grouped by sections for fast review with no downloads required.
Delete temporary copy
The transient server copy is purged right after processing completes.
Want to try it out? Upload your file above, no signup required.
What HEIC metadata can you view?
Here are the fields you can inspect before you share or archive the file. Use them to verify provenance, quality, and privacy.
- EXIF and GPS fields plus Apple maker notes
- Live Photo identifiers, HDR/depth flags, and item properties
- Orientation, dimensions, and color profile hints
What metadata lives inside a HEIC
HEIC (HEIF with HEVC payload) is an ISO Base Media File Format container, so its metadata structure looks more like MP4 than JPEG. Each image, thumbnail, depth map, and HDR gain map is stored as a separate "item" inside the meta box, and each item has its own property list (ispe for dimensions, colr for color, clap for crop, irot for orientation) plus a shared mdat payload. The viewer walks the iinf and iloc boxes to list every item and then pulls per-item properties for the primary image.
EXIF lives in an item of type `Exif` referenced from the meta box — same tags as a JPEG APP1, but one indirection away. That is why some tools fail to read HEIC EXIF: they look for APP markers that do not exist. The viewer follows the iref chain to locate the EXIF item and decodes it in place. Apple maker notes sit inside that EXIF block and reveal extra fields: Live Photo UUID (which ties the HEIC to its sibling MOV), capture mode (Portrait, Night, Burst), front-camera mirror flag, and auxiliary image references.
Because HEIC was designed for computational photography, one file can carry a main image, a cover thumbnail, a disparity-map depth item, an HDR gain-map item, and an auxiliary alpha item. The viewer enumerates all of them with their pixel dimensions and color profile, which is how you spot that the "photo" you are about to share is really five linked images — a useful check before sending to non-Apple platforms that flatten everything to a single JPEG.
HEIC metadata FAQs
How is HEIC EXIF different from JPEG EXIF?
The tag set is identical (DateTimeOriginal, GPSLatitude, etc.) but the packaging differs. HEIC stores EXIF as a named item inside the meta box rather than an APP1 marker. Tools that only scan APP markers will see no EXIF in a valid HEIC.
Can I see whether my HEIC is a Live Photo still?
Yes. Apple writes a Live Photo Content Identifier UUID into the Makernotes. If the UUID matches one on a sibling MOV file, they form a Live Photo pair. The viewer surfaces the UUID explicitly.
What is the HDR gain map and does it carry metadata?
Apple's HDR HEIC files store an auxiliary image whose values scale the SDR photo into HDR. It has its own colr box (usually ITUR 2100 PQ) and urn identifier. The viewer lists it as a separate item so you know whether HDR will travel with the file.
Why do some HEICs show depth and alpha items?
Portrait Mode captures embed a disparity map (depth) and an alpha matte for subject separation. These are real items with dimensions and color profiles the viewer surfaces.
Does this viewer work on HEIF images that are not from Apple?
Yes. Android devices (Pixel, Galaxy) and Canon cameras also output HEIF; the meta-box structure is the same. Non-Apple files will not have Live Photo UUIDs but otherwise parse identically.