How to find where a picture was taken
- Use the original file. On a phone, choose the photo from your gallery. On a computer, use the file copied from the phone or camera, or downloaded from iCloud Photos or Google Photos as the original.
- Drop it in the box or tap to choose. Several photos can be checked at once and are numbered on the map.
- Read the result: coordinates, the nearest address, when it was taken and with which camera. Open Street View to see the place, turned the way the camera was facing when the photo saved a direction.
Which photos keep their location
| Where the photo came from | GPS location kept? |
|---|---|
| Original from an iPhone or Android camera, location on | Yes |
| iCloud Photos or Google Photos, downloaded as original | Usually yes |
| AirDrop, or sent by email as an attachment | Usually yes, unless the sender turned location off |
| WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat | No, removed by the app |
| Screenshots and screen recordings | No |
| Images saved from websites | Rarely |
What is EXIF data?
EXIF is a block of information that cameras and phones write inside every photo: the date and time, the camera and lens, settings such as exposure and focal length, and, when location services are allowed, the latitude, longitude and altitude where it was taken. Many phones also save the compass direction. The time is the camera’s own clock and carries no time zone, which is why the tool shows it exactly as recorded.
The same data that makes this tool work can reveal where you live or where your children go to school. Before posting photos publicly from an app that keeps metadata, or sending originals by email, check the location with this tool, and remove it if needed. To see where you are now instead, use My Location.