View/Edit EXIF or metadata for HEIC generated by Samsung androids

[Zetorg]

My Samsung Galaxy S10 can save pictures in both JPG and HEIC formats. I've used the android app F-Stop Gallery 5.3.14 to view and edit EXIF information for a sample HEIC file, then hit Close. What happens is, the file results unmodified (=md5), but reopening the heic again with F-Stop already shows modified metadata with 2 circles on the corner. So I guess the app must store the modification on a different database:





Does anybody know if editing such fields can be done or it's only possible in JPG? The stock Samsung Gallery app doesn't allow to edit EXIF, only filename.

[Zetorg]

I've contacted the app developer to see what is happening. Will let you know if he answers.

[Zetorg]

I've contacted also the developer of Photo Exif Editor Pro because doesn't allow to open HEIC files.

[StarGeek]

Did you check on the file system level to see if it creates an XMP sidecar file?

From what Phil's said on this forum, editing data in an HEIC is very difficult. See this thread for some details.  I wouldn't expect simple phone apps to be able to safely edit HEIC anytime soon.

[Zetorg]

Did you check on the file system level to see if it creates an XMP sidecar file?

From what Phil's said on this forum, editing data in an HEIC is very difficult. See this thread for some details.  I wouldn't expect simple phone apps to be able to safely edit HEIC anytime soon.

It does not create any side file. Changes must be stored withing some app settings. Also thanks for the link, didn't know that.

[Phil Harvey]

I wouldn't expect simple phone apps to be able to safely edit HEIC anytime soon.

It is possible that iPhone apps could support this easily if the system provides HEIC support libraries (which it should).  But my guess is that Android apps will likely be on their own for some time.

- Phil

[Zetorg]

It is possible that iPhone apps could support this easily if the system provides HEIC support libraries (which it should).  But my guess is that Android apps will likely be on their own for some time.

- Phil

Are you aware if HEIC format is "standard" across different mobile OSes, or iOS can be one specification and Android a different one?

[Zetorg]

After some tests, these Android apps are NOT able to display the metadata inserted by ExifTool 12.12, with command "exiftool -Title="new title" -Description="New Description" /path/to/files/":

• F-Stop Gallery 5.3.14
• Samsung Gallery 11.5.02.4
• Photo EXIF Viewer 1.3
• Photo Exif Editor Pro 2.2.9

However these apps DO display inserted metadata (Android apps that work):

• ExifTool 3.3.0-gms: displayed under XMP tab, not under EXIF. Uses ExifTool 12.07 internally with Perl 5.022001

I confirm also that is able to change those fields successfully, at least using simple letters and numbers.

[Phil Harvey]

Are you aware if HEIC format is "standard" across different mobile OSes, or iOS can be one specification and Android a different one?

There should only be one specification (if we are lucky).  But whether or not iOS and Android implement this in the same way is the question, and I don't have the answer.

- Phil