Overview
This node allows you to read, write, repair, delete, and send custom commands to manipulate EXIF metadata in image files. It supports common image formats such as JPG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF, GIF, BMP, WEBP, and JPEG.
Typical use cases include:
- Extracting metadata like camera settings, geolocation, or keywords from images.
- Adding or updating metadata fields for organizing or copyright purposes.
- Repairing corrupted EXIF data to restore image metadata integrity.
- Removing all or selected EXIF tags for privacy or file size reduction.
- Running advanced custom commands on image metadata using Exiftool.
For example, a photographer could use this node to batch update copyright information on their photos or remove sensitive location data before sharing images online.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Property Name | Name of the binary property containing the image data (e.g., "data"). |
| Output Property Name | Name of the JSON property where the EXIF data or operation result will be stored (default: "exifData"). |
| Options | Collection of options: |
| - Read Raw: Return raw, untransformed EXIF data (boolean). | |
| - Parse Input Fields: Parse input fields like "Keywords" or "Subject" as comma-separated lists (boolean). |
Output
The node outputs the results in the specified JSON property (default "exifData"). The structure depends on the operation:
- Read: Outputs an object with EXIF metadata key-value pairs extracted from the image.
- Write: Outputs an array of results for each metadata tag written, including confirmation details.
- Delete: Outputs the result of deleting EXIF tags, optionally retaining specified tags.
- Repair: Outputs a success flag indicating the repair operation completed.
- Custom Command: Outputs the raw result of the custom Exiftool command executed.
If the node processes binary data, it updates the original binary property with the potentially modified image file after the operation.
Dependencies
- Requires the
exiftool-vendoredlibrary bundled with the node for reading and writing EXIF data. - Needs access to the n8n storage path to temporarily save image files during processing.
- Supports only specific image file extensions: jpg, png, heic, heif, tiff, gif, bmp, webp, jpeg.
- No external API keys or services are required.
Troubleshooting
- Storage Path Missing: If the node cannot find or create the storage directory, it throws an error. Manually creating the directory or checking permissions may resolve this.
- Unsupported File Extension: Files with unsupported extensions will cause an error. Ensure input files have one of the supported extensions.
- No Binary Data Provided: If the specified binary property is missing or empty, the node will error out.
- No Metadata Values on Write: Writing without any metadata values configured will throw an error.
- Temporary File Conflicts: If temporary files exist from previous runs, the node logs a message and waits; ensure no concurrent executions interfere.
- Custom Command Write Not Supported: Attempting to run write operations via custom commands is not supported; use the Write operation instead.
Links and References
- ExifTool Tag Names — Comprehensive list of EXIF tags supported by ExifTool.
- ExifTool Documentation — Official documentation for the underlying tool used by this node.