How to Edit Metadata

Last Updated: October 6, 2021

As long as you have the right authorization, it's easy to edit the metadata of a file like an image or a video. We'll show you how to find and replace the metadata tags in just a few simple steps!

Steps

1
Understand metadata conventions. Each type of metadata has its own unique conventions and rules. Metadata elements also have specific formats, like key fields for text files, XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) or Exif (Exchangeable image file format) formats for visuals, and other sorts of common presentations. Knowing more about these will help you use metadata the right way.
2
Access metadata. In order to edit or change metadata, you will need to make sure that you have access to it. This can mean having the right administrative clearance, having network connections to where files are kept, or even just knowing how to unlock compressed folders or restricted formats.
- Get your clearance, orienting file directions and passwords. For some common kinds of jobs editing metadata, individuals will need specific access. For example, to edit text page metadata in a content management system (CMS) like Joomla, you will need to have the right password to access the web site's back end. Staffers who are ordered to edit metadata will need these virtual keys from management before editing can take place.
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3
Locate metadata tags. For web page metadata, which is one of the most commonly edited kinds, you will need to find the right amending tags for the data, usually in the margins of the page that shows the core web page content.
4
Rewrite metadata. When you have located the actual text or icon metadata, click into the fields and edit as needed.
5
Save or apply changes. This step is critical to making any edits to metadata. Most data handling programs require specific save commands in order to preserve any edits that a user does while in the system. Disregard this rule, and you may find that your changes are simply not saved.

Community Q&A

Question

If the metadata of a Word document has been edited, is it possible to identify that this has been done?

Community Answer

Yes, using the review tab in the ribbon, choose "Compare original documents." From the drop down list of documents, choose the original and current documents in the pop-up dialog. This opens a right-side bar with scrolling controls to review both documents stacked one above the other in the upper and lower frames.