GPSAltitude: What This Metadata Tag Means
GPSAltitude is the height above or below sea level where a photo was taken, as measured by the device’s GPS and shown in meters.
Last updated: November 13, 2026
What it means
GPSAltitude stores the altitude in meters, and GPSAltitudeRef says whether it is above or below sea level. ExifTool shows both together, for example 35.2 m Above Sea Level.
Example
- Tag
- GPSAltitude
- Group in ExifMeta
- EXIF
- Example value
- 35.2 m Above Sea Level
This is how the tag appears in ExifMeta’s results. The value in your file will differ.
Typical values
Values look like 35.2 m Above Sea Level or 12 m Below Sea Level. Photos from coastal cities show values near zero, mountain photos can show thousands of meters, and photos taken from an aircraft can show far more.
Where it comes from
Phones and cameras with GPS write it along with the coordinates when they have a satellite fix.
What it is useful for
It can support or contradict a claimed place, such as a photo said to be taken on a mountain top. Hikers and travelers also use it to see how high they were when they took each picture.
Watch out for
GPS altitude is much less precise than position, and errors of tens of meters are common. Treat it as a rough figure, not a floor number.
Find it in your file
Upload a file to ExifMeta, then type GPSAltitude 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 Where a Photo Was Taken (GPS Location)
See the tags in your own file
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