Copyright: What This Metadata Tag Means
Copyright is the EXIF field for an image’s copyright notice, such as © 2026 Jane Doe. It travels with the file unless an app removes it.
Last updated: November 13, 2026
What it means
It stores a free-text copyright statement. IPTC CopyrightNotice and XMP Rights often carry the same notice.
Example
- Tag
- Copyright
- Group in ExifMeta
- EXIF
- Example value
- © 2026 Jane Doe
This is how the tag appears in ExifMeta’s results. The value in your file will differ.
Typical values
Values are free text, often in the form © year name, sometimes followed by All rights reserved or a license name such as CC BY 4.0.
Where it comes from
Cameras can write it from a saved setting, and editors, stock agencies, and photo managers add it on export.
What it is useful for
It tells people whom to ask before reusing an image. Photographers set it in the camera or editor so every exported photo carries the notice.
Watch out for
The tag does not create or prove copyright, and many social apps remove it when you upload. A missing notice does not mean an image is free to use.
Find it in your file
Upload a file to ExifMeta, then type Copyright into the “Search tags and values” box under All metadata. If nothing matches, the file does not contain this tag.
Learn more in the guide: EXIF vs IPTC vs XMP: What’s the Difference?
See the tags in your own file
Upload a photo, video, audio file, or document to see every tag it contains. Free, no account needed.