Sometimes, the metadata attached to a photo is just wrong. Perhaps your phone lost GPS signal while in "airplane mode" on vacation, or maybe you manually scanned an old physical photo and want to assign it the historical location where it was originally captured.
Changing or "faking" a GPS location on an image is completely possible and very simple to do using a photo metadata editor.
Why Change Your Photo's Location?
There are many legitimate reasons to alter an image's EXIF data:
- Organizing Albums: Google Photos and Apple iCloud sort your memories by location. If a trip's photos are tagged improperly, your automated albums will break.
- Archiving Old Photos: If you scan a polaroid taken in Paris in 1990, the scan will tag your current living room. You can manually set the actual coordinates to Paris to keep your digital archive historically accurate.
- Digital Trolling/Jokes: Sometimes people want to convince their friends they are currently on a beach in Bali rather than their apartment in New York.
Steps to Change the GPS Coordinates
You don't need complex software like Photoshop to achieve this.
Step by Step Guide
- 1. Access an EXIF Editor: Open GeotagEditor's Workspace.
- 2. Import Your Photo: Drag and drop your JPG or PNG. You will likely see the current, incorrect pin on the map.
- 3. Search the New Location: Use the search bar embedded in the map interface. Type in the city, landmark, or specific address you want to appear in the data.
- 4. Confirm the Pin: Drag the red marker exactly where you want it to sit.
- 5. Write and Save: Click "Save Location Data" to permanently embed these new parameters into the core files of the photo.
How to Verify Your Change Worked
To ensure the change was successful, find the new file on your computer.
- Windows: Right-click > Properties > Details tab. Scroll down to the GPS section.
- Mac: Right-click > Get Info > More Info. Look for Latitude/Longitude.
The new location will be set in stone. Start organizing today!