Export Photos Keep Original Date? Explained

Yes, exporting photos from most apps and platforms preserves the original date taken, stored in the photo’s EXIF metadata, unless you explicitly choose to strip it or the platform rewrites it. However, the file’s creation and modification dates on your computer may change to the export time, which can cause confusion. This article explains how export dates work across common platforms, how to check and preserve original dates, and what to do when they don’t stick.

Formula

The calculator above computes your average pace and speed for a given distance and finish time. The formulas are:

• Pace (min/km) = Finish time (minutes) ÷ Distance (km)
• Speed (km/h) = Distance (km) ÷ (Finish time (minutes) ÷ 60)

Where:

• Finish time (t) – total time in minutes (e.g., 50 minutes)
• Distance (d) – distance in kilometers (e.g., 10 km)

Worked Example

Using the default values (50 minutes, 10 km):

1. Pace = 50 ÷ 10 = 5.00 min/km
2. Speed = 10 ÷ (50 ÷ 60) = 10 ÷ 0.8333 = 12.00 km/h

So the average pace is 5 minutes per kilometer, and the average speed is 12 km/h.

What “Original Date� Means in Photos

Every photo taken with a digital camera or smartphone stores metadata called EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format). Inside EXIF, the field DateTimeOriginal records the exact moment the shutter was pressed. This is the “original date� that most people care about. When you export a photo—whether from Lightroom, Google Photos, Apple Photos, or a social media download—the question is whether that EXIF field survives.

In most professional and consumer tools, the original date is preserved by default. For example, exporting a JPEG from Lightroom Classic or Apple Photos keeps the DateTimeOriginal intact. However, the file system dates (creation date, modification date) on your local drive are often set to the export time, not the capture time. This is why you might see “Today� in your file explorer even though the photo was taken years ago.

How Exporting Affects Different Platforms

Different platforms handle dates differently:

• Adobe Lightroom / Photoshop – Preserves EXIF original date on export. You can also choose to include or exclude metadata in the Export dialog.
• Apple Photos – When you export an unmodified original, the EXIF date is kept. If you export a modified version (e.g., edited), the original date is still embedded, but the file’s creation date may be the export date.
• Google Photos – Downloading a photo from Google Photos typically keeps the original EXIF date. However, if you use “Downloadâ€� on a shared album, the date might be reset to the download time in some cases.
• Social media (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp) – These platforms strip EXIF data entirely for privacy. The downloaded image will have no original date, and the file’s timestamp will be the download time.
• Windows / macOS file copy – Copying a file from one folder to another preserves the original date modified, but the creation date on macOS may change to the copy time. Windows typically keeps the original modified date.

How to Check the Original Date in an Exported Photo

To verify whether the original date survived an export, you can inspect the EXIF data. Here are simple methods:

• On Windows – Right-click the file, select Properties, go to the Details tab. Look for “Date takenâ€�. If it shows the correct date, EXIF is intact.
• On macOS – Open the photo in Preview, then go to Tools > Show Inspector (or press Cmd+I). The EXIF tab shows the date and time.
• On a phone – Use a free EXIF viewer app (e.g., EXIF Viewer by Fluntro) to see the original date.
• Online – Upload the photo to a site like exifdata.com (but be mindful of privacy – don’t upload sensitive images).

If the “Date taken� field is blank or shows the export time, the metadata was stripped.

When the Original Date Gets Lost

There are several common scenarios where the original date is not preserved:

• Editing in basic apps – Some simple editors (like MS Paint) rewrite the file without EXIF. Always use a proper photo editor that respects metadata.
• Screenshots – A screenshot is a new image, so it has no original date – only the capture time of the screenshot.
• Re-encoding by social media – As mentioned, social platforms strip EXIF for privacy. The only way to keep the date is to download the original from the cloud service (e.g., Google Photos original quality) or ask the sender for the original file.
• Email clients – Some email services recompress attachments and remove EXIF. If you email a photo to yourself and download it, the date may be lost.

How to Preserve the Original Date When Exporting

To ensure the original date is kept, follow these practices:

1. Use a tool that explicitly preserves EXIF – Lightroom, Capture One, Apple Photos (export original), or Google Photos (download original).
2. When exporting from Lightroom, in the Export dialog, under “Metadata�, choose “All Metadata� or “Copyright & Contact Info Only� (avoid “Remove Metadata�).
3. If you need to send a photo without losing the date, use a file-sharing service (like Dropbox or WeTransfer) instead of email or social media.
4. If you’ve already lost the date, you can manually edit the EXIF using free tools like ExifTool (command line) or Exif Pilot (Windows). For example, exiftool -DateTimeOriginal="2020:01:01 12:00:00" photo.jpg sets the date.
5. On a Mac, you can use the “Adjust Date and Time� feature in Photos to correct the date for a batch of photos.

Common Misconceptions and Pitfalls

One frequent misconception is that the file’s “Date Modified� in Windows Explorer is the original capture date. It is not – it reflects the last time the file was written to disk. Another pitfall is assuming that uploading to a cloud service and downloading back will preserve the date. While Google Photos and iCloud generally do, some third-party apps or “free up space� features may re-encode and strip metadata.

Also, be aware that some cameras (especially older ones) may not embed the correct timezone. If you travel, the EXIF date might be in UTC or the camera’s local time, not your home timezone. This can cause the date to appear off by hours when viewed in software that adjusts for timezone.

When You Might Want to Remove the Original Date

There are legitimate reasons to strip EXIF dates – privacy being the main one. When sharing photos publicly, the original date and GPS location can reveal your home address or routine. Most social media platforms already strip this, but if you share via email or file transfer, you might want to remove it manually. In Lightroom, you can select “Remove Metadata� during export. On a phone, apps like Photo Exif Editor allow you to delete EXIF data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does exporting from Google Photos keep the original date?

Yes, when you download a photo from Google Photos using the “Download� button, the original EXIF date is preserved. However, if you use “Save to device� from a shared album or a Google Workspace account, the date might be reset. Always check the file’s properties after downloading.

Why does my exported photo show the export date instead of the original?

This usually happens because the export tool stripped the EXIF data. Common culprits are social media platforms, basic image editors, or email clients that recompress images. To avoid this, use a dedicated photo manager and choose “Export Original� or “Include Metadata�.

Can I recover the original date if it’s been lost?

If the EXIF data is completely gone, there is no way to recover the original date from the file itself. However, you might find the date in other places: the cloud service’s metadata (e.g., Google Photos shows the date in its interface), or the filename if it contains a timestamp. You can then manually set the EXIF date using a tool like ExifTool.

Does converting a photo to PNG or HEIC affect the date?

Converting formats can strip EXIF if the tool doesn’t transfer metadata. For example, converting a JPEG to PNG often removes EXIF because PNG doesn’t natively support EXIF (though it can be embedded). HEIC supports EXIF, but some converters may drop it. Always use a converter that preserves metadata, or keep the original format.

What’s the difference between “Date Taken� and “Date Created� on my computer?

“Date Taken� is the EXIF original capture date stored inside the photo. “Date Created� is a file system attribute that indicates when the file was created on that particular storage device. When you export, “Date Created� often changes to the export time, while “Date Taken� remains the original. That’s why you see two different dates.

Will re-uploading a photo to Instagram and downloading it keep the date?

No. Instagram strips all EXIF data from uploaded photos. The downloaded file will have no original date, and the file’s timestamp will be the download time. If you need to preserve the date, keep the original file and share via a different method.

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in t | Finish time | min | 50 | 0
in d | Distance | km | 10 | 0
out pace | Average pace | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Average speed | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2