Sometimes, as users, we unnecessarily complicate our lives by looking for applications to perform certain functions that, if they are available in Windows, are somewhat hidden. We can consult the GPS coordinates of the photographs we take through the image properties. To access them, we must right-click on the image and access the Properties menu. Next, click on the Details tab and go to the GPS section where both the latitude and longitude will be displayed along with the height at sea level.
Although it is true that little or nothing can be done with this information, if we copy and paste it into Google Maps (the altitude information is not necessary), we can know the exact location of where it was made. It should be remembered that Google Maps not only allows us to search by street, but also allows us to search by geographic coordinates.
Windows Photos
Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 have their own application with which to view photos. This is called Photos and it is installed by default in the operating system, so if we click on any image, this application will open by default. With this software you can automatically label the photos, recognizing objects in them and being able to search our entire collection.
With the Photos application we will be able to see hidden and relevant information that is found within any image. To access it, once the image is open click on the Information icon that we find in the upper right part or through the keyboard shortcut “Alt + Enter”.
Next, a panel appears on the right side with all the information related to the selected image such as its name, capture date, size, where was the photo taken or the path to where it is stored. If we click on the map, the default Windows browser will open and show the location using Bing Maps, the maps that the Microsoft search engine makes available to us completely free of charge.
Thus, in a simple way and without having to install other third-party applications on our Windows computer, we will have the possibility of finding out where a photo of our own was taken. And it is that the two elements used until now, the file explorer and the app, are now included by default in the Microsoft system.
Programs to find out this data from the images
However, it may also be the case that we need to know this data about our photos in a deeper way for certain tasks. For example, if we are photography professionals, it is very possible that due to organizational issues we need where a photo was taken and other information of interest. Hence, on many occasions it is more useful for us to use certain external applications to extract this information from the corresponding files and be able to store it if we are interested.
BR’s EXIF extracter
We are talking about free software that will allow us to extract the location of one or more photos. Through its use, the program allows us to indicate what data we want to extract in the CSV filesuch as latitude, longitude, date, time, address, etc. To do this, all you have to do is download its installation file. Although the program is officially in beta phase, it can be used perfectly.
Once downloaded, we install it in a matter of seconds, since the entire process is carried out easily through its assistant. Next we run it and check that BR’s EXIFextracter has an interface that is in English. We just have to click on Folder to scan to select the folder where the desired photo is located. In section Output file name we must select the path where we want it to be saved and assign it a name together with the CSV extension.
Next, we select the tags we want to extract such as date and time, camera model, lens, file size, aperture, GPS related information (latitude, longitude, altitude, date, time, and direction). Once finished, press the button extract.
This will cause a CSV file to be generated that will contain all the data that we have selected to be extracted and we can open it with Excel, Libre Office or another program compatible with this type of file.
The best
The first thing we should highlight about this application is that we can store the image data in a CSV file for later use in other software solutions. In addition to letting us know where that photo was taken, by default the application offers us many other interesting information.
Worst
On the contrary, and in order to get the most out of this software tool, it is recommended that we have some knowledge about the metadata that stores the images we take. This means that it is not a valid program for inexperienced users.
exiftool
It is another software specially designed to extract the location of our photos, but this time, instead of having a graphical interface, it is command line based. We can download it for free.
For ExifTool to work properly, we simply have to download its EXE file and place it in the C:/Windows folder so that it is accessible from any folder in Windows.
Then, we can navigate to where we have saved the photos. Later we open a command prompt window and execute the following command:
exiftool -csv -filename -gpslatitude -gpslongitude -gpsaltitude -T *.jpg >out.csv
This command will be the one that exports us to a CSV file with all the information about the exact place where each photo was taken, such as GPS longitude, GPS latitude and GPS altitude. So we can open it with Excel or another similar program.
Pros
The most striking thing about this program is that it offers us a good amount of data and also hardly consumes PC resources once we have put it into operation on our Windows computer.
cons
Contrary to most software today, this is an application that works on the command line, which many less experienced users probably won’t like.
Websites to add where a photo was taken
Whether our photos already have geolocation or not, we will be able to add or modify it through a series of free websites. To do this, we will simply have to visit the website in question, upload our photo and they will automatically detect if the photos already have the geographic location saved in the metadata or not. In any case, we can indicate ourselves the exact coordinates where we took the photos or modify the existing ones.
geolmgr
Is about a web page that allows you to geo tag photos from the browser. Therefore, we can upload a photo to the web and, later, add new information about the geographic location where the photo was taken within the metadata or modify the existing one. To do this, all you have to do is select the exact point on a map shown on the website itself and obtain the coordinates. For this, just .
Once on the web, we simply have to drag and drop the photo on its interface or click on the blue window to load the desired image. Once loaded on the left side, a map appears where it will indicate the place, being able to enlarge the photo until finding the exact point. In the Place Search tab we can indicate the name of the street or the place where it was taken so that it is added to the photo.
Top
To define exactly where a certain personal photo was taken, this is a website that can be very helpful thanks to all the functions it offers us. Thanks to its interface we will be able to geoposition our images in a matter of seconds.
minus top
If you are looking for more additional functions to the positioning of our photographic files, it is worth knowing that we are not going to find them here.
geotg.online
This is another online tool that we can use to add information about the exact geographic location where our photos were taken. When this website was launched several years ago, Google geotagging was free, which is no longer free today, so the web has stopped offering its services for free. Therefore, in order to use their services it will be necessary to register and buy a subscription to 10 dollars a month. If we want to hire him we must .
remarkable
In order to fully customize the hidden metadata in any of your own images, we can do it quickly and easily with this website, including geopositioning.
less noticeable
While a few years ago the use of this web application was completely free, to benefit from its functions now we will have to pay.
GPS information is not displayed on the image
Every time we take a photograph or video, the data related to the capture is stored inside, such as the camera model used, the shutter time, the sensitivity used, the aperture of the diaphragm, the altitude, among other data. This data is called metadata and is included in all images and videos. If we change the size of an image, the first thing the application does to reduce its size is load this data, data that we can’t recover in any way unless we keep the original images.
When we share images through messaging applications, during the conversion process to reduce their size, the metadata is removed and not to maintain the user’s privacy, but to reduce the final weight of the file. Some social networks allow you to delete or keep this data when we publish it, however, when you download it, the metadata will not be available. These are the main reasons why image metadata with GPS information may not be available in a photo, but they are not the only ones.
Yeah we did not find the GPS data of the location where a photograph was taken, it is possible that its creator has used an application to eliminate this data and thus avoid giving clues about not only the location, but also the values that the camera has used to make the image. capture, as long as we are talking about photographs that have not been taken with the automatic mode.
Programs to remove geolocation information from a photograph
If we do not want to share the geolocation data of our photographs while maintaining their original resolution, we can make use of one of these applications.
Image GPS EXIF Info Check
Image GPS EXIF is a simple application with which we can easily and quickly remove metadata from photos in batches. We just have to select the location where it is located and, once the images are displayed in the application, click on the button Remove EXIF GPS info.
The user interface is not the best of all, however, it is practical and functional. Besides, the…
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