CreationDate: What This Metadata Tag Means
CreationDate is the local recording time of a video, with its time zone. iPhones write it, and it is the most reliable date in their videos.
Last updated: November 13, 2026
What it means
In QuickTime videos, CreationDate stores when recording started as local time plus the UTC offset, for example 2026:10:06 14:32:05+02:00. Unlike CreateDate, which is usually UTC, it matches the time shown on the phone.
Example
- Tag
- CreationDate
- Group in ExifMeta
- QuickTime
- Example value
- 2026:10:06 14:32:05+02:00
This is how the tag appears in ExifMeta’s results. The value in your file will differ.
Typical values
Values combine date, time, and offset, for example 2026:10:06 14:32:05+02:00. Because the offset is part of the same value, no second tag is needed to read it correctly.
Where it comes from
Apple devices write it into MOV and MP4 files, and some other phones and apps do too.
What it is useful for
It is the best date for sorting iPhone videos or placing a clip on a timeline, because it already carries the time zone. Comparing it with CreateDate shows whether the two agree once the offset is applied.
Watch out for
Not every video has it. When it is missing, use the QuickTime CreateDate and remember that it is usually UTC. Editing apps can rewrite it when they export a new file.
Find it in your file
Upload a file to ExifMeta, then type CreationDate 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: How to Check Video Metadata: Date and Location
See the tags in your own file
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