Introduction
You want to resize a batch of photos for sharing or web use, but you do not want to lose the EXIF data embedded in each file. EXIF data includes the date and time the photo was taken, the camera model, the lens, the exposure settings, and sometimes the GPS location. This metadata is valuable for organizing your library, proving when and where a photo was taken, and reproducing shooting conditions. The problem is that most resizing tools strip EXIF data during processing, leaving you with resized photos that have no metadata. In this guide we cover how to resize images in batches while retaining the original EXIF photo data.
Why This Happens
EXIF data is stored in the header of image files, separate from the actual image data. When a tool resizes an image, it decodes the image data, resizes it, and re-encodes it into a new file. If the tool does not explicitly copy the EXIF header to the new file, the metadata is lost. Many tools strip EXIF by default for privacy reasons, since GPS data can reveal where a photo was taken, and some strip it simply because they do not bother to preserve it. The result is that resized photos often have no date, no camera info, and no location, which makes them harder to organize and less useful for archival. The fix is using a resizing tool that explicitly preserves EXIF data during processing, or copying the EXIF header from the original to the resized file afterward.
3 Solutions
Solution 1: Use a resizer that preserves EXIF. Open the piczen image resizer, enable the preserve metadata or EXIF option, and resize your batch. The resized files keep all original metadata.
Solution 2: Copy EXIF from originals after resizing. If your resizer strips EXIF, use a tool like ExifTool to copy the metadata from the original files to the resized files. More steps but works with any resizer.
Solution 3: Strip EXIF intentionally for privacy, keep originals. If you are sharing photos publicly, stripping EXIF protects your privacy. Keep the originals with full metadata for your archive.
Step-by-Step Guide
First, check whether your resizing tool preserves EXIF. Open your browser and load the resize images online tool. Look for a settings or options menu and find a toggle for metadata, EXIF, or preserve data. Enable it. Drag your photos onto the page. Set your target dimensions and output format. Click Convert or Resize and download the results. To confirm the EXIF was preserved, right-click a resized photo, select Properties, and look for the Details or EXIF tab. You should see the original date, camera model, lens, and settings. If the EXIF was stripped, you need a different approach. Download ExifTool, which is a free command-line tool for reading and writing EXIF data. Use it to copy the EXIF from each original to its resized version. The command looks like "exiftool -tagsFromFile original.jpg resized.jpg". This copies all metadata from the original to the resized file, restoring the date, camera info, and GPS data.
Pros and Cons
Using a resizer that preserves EXIF is the cleanest solution because it handles metadata in one pass with no extra steps. The tradeoff is that not every tool supports it, so you may need to hunt for one that does. Copying EXIF afterward with ExifTool works with any resizer but requires downloading a separate tool and learning basic command-line usage. Stripping EXIF for privacy is actually the right choice when sharing photos publicly, since GPS data can reveal your home or travel locations, but you should keep the originals with full metadata for your personal archive. For most users, the goal is keeping EXIF for personal organization while stripping it for public sharing. Use a resizer that preserves metadata for your personal library, and strip EXIF before sharing publicly to protect your privacy.