How to Adjust the Date, Time, and Location of Photos in iOS 15

Tweak photo metadata with a few taps

By
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
  • Ithaca College
Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.
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Updated on August 20, 2021

What to Know

  • Adjust time: Photos app > photo to adjust > i icon > Adjust next to the date > tap new date or tap Time and set new time > Adjust.
  • Adjust location: Photos app > photo to adjust > i icon > Adjust beneath the map > search for a new location > tap location.
  • You can adjust individual or multiple photos by selecting one or many photos.

This article explains how to change the EXIF metadata on photos stored in the iPhone Photos app. The kinds of metadata can be changed include the date, time, and location the photo was taken.

Can You Change Date on iPhone Photos? 

If you're running iOS 15 or higher on your iPhone or iPod touch (or iPadOS 15 on your iPad), you can change the date on the photos stored in the pre-installed Photos app. You can also change the time the photo was taken and the location. You can do this for photos taken on the iPhone or imported from another source. You can use this feature to change the metadata or add it to photos lacking this information.

How Do I Change the Date and Time on My iPhone Photos?

To change the date and time metadata of photos on your iPhone, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to adjust.

  2. Tap the i icon at the bottom.

    Photo of a flower and Information icon highlight in iPhone Photos app

  3. In the menu, tap Adjust next to the date and time.

  4. Move through the calendar to find the date you want and tap it. To change the time the photo was taken, tap the time and then use the spinners to set the time. Tap Adjust

    You can also change the time zone by tapping that and then searching for a city in the correct time zone.

  5. Tap Adjust to save the changes.

    Time and Adjust highlighted in iOS Photos Adjust Date and Time settings

You can also change the date, time, or location of multiple photos at the same time. To do so, select multiple photos from the album view, tap the action box, swipe up in the pop-up menu, and then tap Adjust Date & Time or Adjust Location. Any change you make will be applied to all selected photos.

How Do I Change the Location on My iPhone Photos?

In iOS 15, you can also change the location metadata that lists where the photo was taken. To do so:

  1. Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to adjust.

  2. Tap the i icon at the bottom.

    Photo of a flower and Information icon highlight in iPhone Photos app

  3. In the menu, swipe up to reveal the map.

  4. Tap Adjust under the map.

  5. Search for a new location (this feature uses Apple Maps). You can also tap No Location to remove location metadata.

    Adjust and No Location highlighted in iOS Photo Location Settings

  6. Tap the correct location and the adjustment is saved.

FAQ
  • How do I correct errors in the Photos People Album in iOS 15?

    Tap Photos > Albums > People, choose a person, then tap Ellipsis > Manage Tagged Photos to fix errors in the People Album. To remove faces, tap Select > Show Faces and untag irrelevant pictures.

  • How do I use Spotlight to search for photos in iOS 15?

    On the lock screen, swipe down and type Photos followed by your search term. To enable Spotlight search for photos, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Photos.

  • How do I see all photos shared with me in Messages on iOS 15?

    Choose a contact and tap their contact name/photo, then scroll down and tap Photos > See All. To see all your shared photos in Messages, go to Photos > For You > Shared With You.

  • Does Apple review my photos on iOS?

    Apple uses an automated algorithm to detect known images of child abuse uploaded to iCloud. An Apple employee reviews flagged photos, and unlawful images are reported to the appropriate authorities.

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