Someone sends you a video and you want to know where and when it was filmed. Or you're about to send one and want to know what it gives away. Either way, the answer is in the video's metadata: details stored in the file next to the picture and sound.

This guide shows how to read that information on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows, what each method can and can't show, and why the answer is sometimes "nothing".

What a video file can tell you

Depending on the phone or camera, a video can hold:

  • GPS location: where it was filmed, sometimes with altitude.
  • Recording date and time, often with a time zone.
  • Device: phone make and model, sometimes the lens.
  • Software: the iOS or Android version, or the editing app that last saved it.
  • Author, title and comments, if someone added them.
  • AI labels (C2PA Content Credentials) on videos made or edited with some AI tools.
  • Extra data tracks. iPhone videos can include tracks with face detection for every frame, which no video player shows.

On iPhone

Open the video in Photos and swipe up, or tap the info button (i). You'll see the date and time, the device and a map if there's a location.

Two limits:

  • Photos shows your library's record, which can differ from the file. If you received the video in a message and saved it, what you see depends on what the sender's app kept.
  • It doesn't show everything. Software versions, AI labels and the hidden data tracks are not displayed.

On Android

Open the video in Google Photos and swipe up, or tap the three dots → Details. Samsung's Gallery app shows the same through the i button. You'll typically see the date, the device, the file size and a map if a location is stored.

As on iPhone, Google Photos can show an estimated location based on your location history. That estimate is not necessarily in the file.

On Mac

  • Finder: select the file and press Cmd + I (Get Info). Under "More Info" you'll see dimensions, duration, codecs and sometimes the device model and location.
  • QuickTime Player: Window → Show Movie Inspector shows the format and some details, but not location.

On Windows

Right-click the file → Properties → Details. Windows shows the media created date, length, frame size and, for some MP4 files, the title and author. It usually doesn't show GPS for MOV files.

The full answer, on any device

The built-in viewers each show a slice. To see everything the file actually carries, drop it on our video metadata page. Signed out, it reads the file right in your browser, without uploading it, and lists what it found: location, device, dates, software, AI labels and hidden editing data. It works on phones too.

If you're comfortable with a terminal, ExifTool shows every tag: exiftool -a -G1 video.mov.

Why a video might show no location

  • Location was off for the camera when it was recorded.
  • It went through an app that rewrites videos. Many social and messaging apps re-encode uploads and drop most metadata along the way. A video saved from one of those apps often has only a date, or nothing at all.
  • It was screen-recorded or exported from an editor, which creates a new file with new details.
  • It was already cleaned.

So "no location" tells you the file doesn't say where it was filmed. It doesn't prove where it wasn't.

Can metadata be trusted?

Not completely. Metadata can be edited or removed with free tools. A recording date can reflect a wrong clock on the camera. Treat it as a clue, not proof. Investigators combine it with what's visible in the video itself.

Before you send your own videos

If the check turns up a location, device details or AI labels you don't want to share, remove them. Our video metadata remover takes out location, device, dates, software, author, AI labels and the hidden data tracks, and keeps the picture and sound exactly as they were. Nothing is re-encoded. Free accounts get 3 cleans a month.

For step-by-step instructions on phones, see how to remove location from a video on iPhone and Android.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out where a video was taken?

Check its metadata. On iPhone, swipe up on the video in Photos. On Android, open Details in Google Photos. For the complete picture, drop the file on a metadata viewer. If the file has a GPS location, it shows as coordinates or on a map.

How can I tell when a video was recorded?

The recording date and time are usually in the metadata and shown in Photos, Google Photos, Finder's Get Info or Windows Properties. Note that the file's "modified" date on a computer is when it was copied or saved, not when it was filmed.

Does a video sent on WhatsApp keep its location?

A video sent the normal way through a messaging app is often re-encoded, which drops most metadata. Sending it "as a file" or "as a document" usually keeps the original file, with all of its details. Check the received file to be sure.

Can I see video metadata without uploading the video?

Yes. On our video metadata page, when you're signed out, the file is read in your browser and never uploaded. The built-in viewers on your phone and computer don't upload anything either.

Why does Photos show a location but the file doesn't have one?

Photos apps can store a location in their own library, or estimate it from your location history. That information doesn't always travel with the file. A file-level check shows what actually goes out when you share it.