How to make a PDF "print" of photo image showing EXIF metadata

Introduction 

JPG photos will contain EXIF metadata which gives information about the time and date the photo was taken, the phone/camera model used to take it, and other data including the technical settings such as ISO number and focal length. It is important that the JPG/HEIC file itself is preserved so that the full metadata can always be examined, but also, particularly if the JPG photo was not taken with a setting which stamped date/time stamp in the image at the time it was taken, it is important that the file is printed to a PDF (or captured in a screenshot) in such a way that metadata is shown below the image - so that the date and time the photo was taken can be seen at a glance. This should be done in a way which makes it obvious how the PDF "print" was produced and should show a reasonable size image with EXIF data below all in a single PDF in portrait orientation. 

The reason why it is important  that image and EXIF data should be shown together in a single PDF (or in a screenshot of a single window, rather than having the EXIF data shown in one window and the image in another window) is that if there are two  separate windows (or two separate PDFs) that does not prove that the metadata in one window is actually from the same JPG as the image displayed in the other window. Of course any proof is relative: ultimately any computer data can be forged but deliberately putting forged evidence before a tribunal is a serious crime which is rare. Having image and EXIF data together, in a single PDF, at least establishes that the image from one JPG file is not being accidentally shown with the metadata from a different  JPG file.

If the PDF has a smaller image with metadata shown then it can be used together with a full-sized image (without metadata shown) as long as the small image is of sufficient size to identify the photo concerned. 

The filename, which is part of file-system metadata (not EXIF metadata) should be included in the "print". Other file-system metadata may be of less value - file-system "date/time last modified", for example, may have been updated when the JPG file was copied from one device to another.     

There are not many programs available which show EXIF data together with a reasonable sized image. Many programs which show EXIF data do not show the image or only show a thumbnail image. In fact I only know of one, which is described below (if you know of any others, please tell me). it is important to note that some other apps will display the ordinary file-system date/time if the EXIF date/time data is missing  without giving any obvious indication that that is what they are doing. It is important that any app which is used gives a clear indication where EXIF date/time data is missing rather than automatically substituting the file-system date.    

Creating a PDF of JPG image and metadata using Advanced Renamer on a Windows or Mac system

You can use the Advanced Renamer export function to create, on a Windows or Mac system, a PDF showing the photo image with its EXIF metadata (although Advanced Renamer is a file renaming program you can also use it just to display). To do this:

1. First tap Files and select the JPG file whose metadata you wish to produce a print of. The PDF print will show the filename so it is important that you select the original file (before you rename it to add a prefix, for example). 

2. Tap Export

3. In the Export panel select HTML, Details and Custom

4. Tap on the More Options icon opposite the filename field, navigate to a folder to create the HMTL file in, enter a name for the HTML file, and tap Save 

5. Back in the Export panel tick Filename and Metadata and Tap OK. 

6. You will usually want to have the image-and-metadata print in PDF form in which case the final step is to  open the HTML file and "print" it to PDF (selecting PDF as the printer). By default most browsers put the date and time of printing in the header of each page together with a page number but as you are "printing" to PDF you should select the option not to have this information shown (to do this if you are using Chrome untick "headers and footers" in the Print panel). 

If you have a number of image files which you wish to create image-and-metadata "prints" for you can either do them one by one or, alternatively, to save time, you can first use Advanced Renamer to generate a single large HTML file containing the details of all of them (each one starting on a new page) then print that to PDF (selecting PDF as the printer) and then split the PDF into separate PDFs, one for each image. If you are using PDF X-Change Editor to do the split you would

1. Convert - OCR Pages

2. Select the title of the first photo (just above the image) and tap Bookmarks - From Page Text and in the panel tap Add and in the next panel tap Get Style from Selected Text and tap Ok and OK.

3. There should then be a bookmark for each image. In the next step you will create individual PDFs each one containing the image-and-metadata "print" of one image. Each PDF you create will have the same name as the corresponding bookmark so now is your opportunity to edit the bookmarks to a filename format of your choosing. For example you could do a Bookmarks - Add Text with Image and metadata print of 

4. Tap Split - Split Document - By using bookmarks  (with the Bookmarks... do not copy option) to create the individual PDFs.

Note: HEIC photos

You can include HEIC photos as well as JPGs when using the above procedure but for HEIC photos the PDF produced will only show metadata, not the image.

For the reasons explained above, ideally you want to have image and EXIF data shown together in a single PDF but I am not aware of any software which can do this (if you know of any please tell me).

Note: Video and audio files

You can use the same procedure as above for video and audio files but obviously only metadata will be shown.

Disclaimer

This information page is designed to be used only by clients of John Antell who have entered into an agreement for the provision of legal services. The information in it is necessarily of a general nature and will not be applicable to every case: it is intended to be used only in conjunction with more specific advice to the individual client about the individual case. This information page should not be used by, or relied on, by anyone else. 

The information on this page about specific computer techniques is provided for information purposes only. Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date at the time it was written but no responsibility for its accuracy, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed by me. You should satisfy yourself, before using any of the techniques, software or services described, that the techniques are appropriate for your purposes and that the software or service is reliable.

This page was lasted updated in December 2025. Disclaimer