Upload and read before editing
The first step is to inspect the file before writing anything new. A photo may already have GPS coordinates from the camera or phone. It may also contain stale coordinates from a previous export.
GeoTag Photos reads existing metadata locally and displays GPS status in the file table. That lets you decide whether to keep, replace, or add coordinates.
Understand the common states
A file can have no GPS data, readable GPS data, unreadable or malformed metadata, or partial compatibility because of its format. Treat those states differently instead of assuming every file should be overwritten.
- No GPS: add the correct location and export a new copy.
- Readable GPS: confirm it matches the intended place.
- Malformed metadata: keep the original and export a corrected copy.
- Partial compatibility: verify the output in the target platform or viewer.
Why displayed coordinates can differ slightly
EXIF stores GPS coordinates differently than decimal map interfaces. Conversions between decimal degrees and degrees, minutes, seconds can create tiny differences in displayed values.
Small rounding differences are normal. Large differences usually mean the wrong coordinate was applied or the viewer is interpreting the file incorrectly.
Verify the exported file
After export, check at least one file from the ZIP. For larger batches, use the CSV report to review every file and focus manual testing on representative formats or exception rows.
This is especially important when delivering PNG or WebP output because metadata support can vary by viewer.