Finder shows "Date Modified" and "Date Created" dates of a jpg file as the same date but they're not

Question

Level 1

4 points

Finder shows "Date Modified" and "Date Created" dates of a jpg file as the same date but they're not

Finder shows "Date Modified" and "Date Created" of a jpg file as the same dates but they're not the same.

I have a bunch of jpg files that show the "Date modified" and the "Date Created" as "Sep 13, 2013 at 5:23 PM", but when looking at the metadata of any of those files with Adobe Bridge it shows the creation date of each of those files varies, in this case all of them were created in 2005 not 2013.

Here are some of the images in Finder, both Date Modified and Date Created are the same:

But here are the images in Bridge, same images, Creation Date 6/16/05

Is this a Glitch in MacOS?

I'm in an M1 Monterey.

MacBook Pro 13″

Posted on Oct 21, 2023 3:16 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

VikingOSX

Community+ 2024

Level 10

112,961 points

Oct 21, 2023 7:30 AM in response to jcvelac

Unless you use Apple's Image Capture to transfer an image from a camera to macOS, Finder will request the operating system apply the current date/time to the creation and modification dates of any new file written to the operating system storage. Image Capture would apply the DateTimeOriginal from the internal EXIF data (if available) instead.

Reply

Answer 2

jcvelac Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 21, 2023 4:05 AM in response to jcvelac

I think Date Modified and Date created are the dates of the actual file created or modified in the OS, not the actual date of when the photo was taken which is stored in the EXIF metadata. But, then, how Finder can show the EXIF photo taken date metadata, or it does not show it?

Reply

Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

122,897 points

Oct 21, 2023 4:09 AM in response to jcvelac

FWIW, I believe there are ways to change the file creation date to the EXIF date. However, It's not something I know how to do. Someone else may. Of course if you move the files they would change again to the file date.

Reply

Answer 4

Oct 21, 2023 6:37 AM in response to jcvelac

Finder windows can show the internal EXIF metadata date via Finder > View > Show Preview at the "Content Created" info on the right.

Or Open the .jpg with Preview.app and Tools > Show Inspector > i > Exif > Date Time Original (I wonder why Apple chose to use "Content Created" for the same info in Finder windows).

Movie .mov dates can be checked via QuickTime Player > Window > Show Movie Inspector. But it does not show .mp4 and .m4v dates.

File creation & modification dates are fragile and might not show the date when the image was taken.

I wish macOS had better options to show metadata dates and an option to set the file dates the same because that causes lots of unnecessary confusion. There are 3rd party utilities like GraphicConverter, A better Finder Rename, exiftool etc for that.

Reply

Answer 5

Oct 21, 2023 7:32 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Matti Haveri wrote:

Finder windows can show the internal EXIF metadata date via Finder > View > Show Preview at the "Content Created" info on the right.

Or Open the .jpg with Preview.app and Tools > Show Inspector > i > Exif > Date Time Original (I wonder why Apple chose to use "Content Created" for the same info in Finder windows).

There is the industry standard notation and then there is the Apple "notation." When the opportunity exists to confuse, pursue that avenue.

Movie .mov dates can be checked via QuickTime Player > Window > Show Movie Inspector. But it does not show .mp4 and .m4v dates.

File creation & modification dates are fragile and might not show the date when the image was taken.

I wish macOS had better options to show metadata dates and an option to set the file dates the same because that causes lots of unnecessary confusion. There are 3rd party utilities like GraphicConverter, A better Finder Rename, exiftool etc for that.

Reply