EXIF tag · ExifIFD

CreateDate

When the image was digitised — usually the same as DateTimeOriginal for digital cameras.

0x9004
Tag ID (36868 decimal)
ExifIFD
IFD / group
string
Data type
EXIF
Table

What CreateDate means#

When the image was digitised — usually the same as DateTimeOriginal for digital cameras.

Read, write and remove it#

# read
exiftool -CreateDate photo.jpg
# write
exiftool -CreateDate="…" photo.jpg
# remove
exiftool -CreateDate= photo.jpg
# all files in a folder, as CSV
exiftool -csv -CreateDate -r ./photos > create-date.csv

In Python with Pillow:

from PIL import Image
exif = Image.open("photo.jpg").getexif()
value = exif.get_ifd(0x8769).get(0x9004)  # CreateDate
print(value)

Other ExifIFD tags#

Frequently asked questions#

What is the EXIF tag ID of CreateDate?

0x9004 (36868 decimal), in the ExifIFD directory.

How do I see CreateDate in a photo?

Run exiftool -CreateDate photo.jpg, or open the file's info panel in Lightroom, Photoshop, Windows (Properties → Details) or macOS Preview (Tools → Show Inspector).

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources

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