Copyrighted 
Learn · twelve articles
Photo copyright metadata, explained
What each copyright field in a photo means, who reads it, and how to fill it in on an iPhone or a Mac. Written plainly, with the tag numbers for those who need them.
Three layers, one photo.
A photo can state its copyright in three places, each written by different software and read by different people. Start with the layer you meet most, or read all three.
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EXIF
Written by cameras and phones. Copyright (0x8298) holds the notice and Artist (0x013B) the creator.
Read about EXIF -
IPTC
The newsroom format. Copyright Notice (2:116), By-line (2:80), Credit (2:110) and Source (2:115).
Read about IPTC -
XMP
The modern layer. dc:rights, dc:creator, photoshop:Credit, and the xmpRights web statement, usage terms, status and owner.
Read about XMP
The fields
6 articlesEXIF Copyright tag (0x8298): what it holds
EXIF tag 0x8298 is the oldest copyright field in a photo. Learn what it holds, how the photographer and editor parts are stored, who reads it, and how it relates to IPTC and XMP.
IPTC · 2:116IPTC Copyright Notice (2:116): the field agencies read
IPTC field 2:116 is the copyright notice picture desks and agencies read first. Learn where it comes from, its 128-byte limit, how it maps to XMP, and how to write a notice that survives.
XMP · dc:rightsXMP rights fields: dc:rights, xmpRights and IPTC Core
XMP is the modern metadata layer that Adobe software and many web tools read. This guide maps its rights properties, from dc:rights and dc:creator to xmpRights:Marked, and explains how they relate to IPTC Core.
IPTC · 2:80Creator vs copyright owner in photo metadata
The person who took a photo and the person who owns its copyright are often the same, and sometimes not. Here is how Artist, By-line, Creator and the copyright fields keep the two apart.
IPTC · 2:110Credit Line in photo metadata (IPTC 2:110)
The Credit Line tells a publisher the exact words to print beside your photo. Learn what IPTC 2:110 and photoshop:Credit hold, how they differ from the creator and Source, and how to write one.
XMP · xmpRights:WebStatementWeb Statement of Rights and Usage Terms in XMP
Two XMP fields tell people how they may use your photo: a link to your licensing page and a line of usage terms. Learn what they hold, who reads them, and why they only exist in XMP.
How-to
5 articlesHow to add copyright to iPhone photos
The iPhone has no built-in copyright field. This guide shows what to write, how to stamp one photo or a whole library without re-encoding, and what happens to your originals in the Photos app.
How-to · MacHow to add copyright to photos on a Mac
On a Mac you can add copyright metadata with Adobe apps, the command line or a dedicated app. This guide compares the options and shows how to stamp folders and your Photos library losslessly.
How-to · checkHow to check who owns a photo from its metadata
A photo's metadata can name its owner, its creator and where to ask for a licence. Here is how to read those fields, how to judge what they say, and what they can never tell you.
XMP · sidecarRAW files and XMP sidecars: where copyright goes
Most software never writes into a RAW file. It puts copyright and other metadata in an XMP sidecar next to it. Learn how sidecars work, how they are named, and how to keep them with your RAW files.
EXIF · IPTC · XMPConflicting copyright metadata: why layers disagree
A photo can name one owner in EXIF and another in IPTC or XMP. Learn how that happens, why it matters, what the Metadata Working Group advises, and how to make every layer agree again.
Check a photo now.
The free copyright checker reads all three layers of any photo in your browser and shows where they agree and where they don’t. Nothing is uploaded.
These articles explain what metadata does. They are not legal advice.
