EXIF tag · ExifIFD

WhiteBalance

Whether white balance was automatic or manual.

0xa403
Tag ID (41987 decimal)
ExifIFD
IFD / group
int16u
Data type
EXIF
Table

What WhiteBalance means#

Whether white balance was automatic or manual.

Defined values#

ValueMeaning
0Auto
1Manual

Read, write and remove it#

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

In Python with Pillow:

from PIL import Image
exif = Image.open("photo.jpg").getexif()
value = exif.get_ifd(0x8769).get(0xa403)  # WhiteBalance
print(value)

Frequently asked questions#

What is the EXIF tag ID of WhiteBalance?

0xa403 (41987 decimal), in the ExifIFD directory.

How do I see WhiteBalance in a photo?

Run exiftool -WhiteBalance 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