iphone video location not showing when video synced from itunes

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iAlex99 Author

Level 1

4 points

iphone video location not showing when video synced from itunes

Hello,

Was hoping someone can explain/help me with this very frustrating issue.

Scenario 1

I take a video on my iPhone, the video has GPS location, and location is visible in Photos App on the iPhone.

I then copy the .MOV file to my Windows PC via USB.

The .MOV file has GPS metadata (confirmed with Exiftool)

The .MOV file is copied to Google Photos, GPS location is visible. (secondary confirmation)

I take the same .MOV file sync it back to iPhone with Itunes for Windows (latest version)

Scenario 2

I take a foreign .MP4 video file.

I update GPS co-ordinates with Exiftool.

As a test the .MP4 video file is uploaded to Google Photos, GPS location is visible.

I take the .MP4 video file sync it back to iPhone with Itunes for Windows (latest version)

Issue

The .MOV file no longer shows the location in Photo Apps on the iPhone .

The .MP4 file does not show the location in Photo Apps on the iPhone .

----------

Is there something I am missing or need to update in the Metadata of the video files that Photo App on iPhone can display the location?

I suspect this not expected behavior and possibly a bug.

Note: Any photos copied and synced back with the same process show the GPS location/metadata without any issues. Also if I update the metadata tag: caption on any video file it displays on the iPhone.

Thanking everyone in advance, if you can assist.

Itunes for Windows 12.13.1.3

iPhone 14 Pro - 17.4.1

iPhone 14 Pro

Posted on Apr 4, 2024 4:41 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Matti Haveri

Level 6

19,802 points

Apr 5, 2024 12:47 AM in response to iAlex99

...hmm have you by chance used ffmpeg (or some GUI app that uses ffmpeg behind the scenes) to handle metadata in those movies? Can you provide a link to such movie (in Dropbox etc)?

ffmpeg has a bug that embeds Keys:GPSCoordinates to the UserData atom which Apple's apps do not read. I just tried and writing -Keys:GPSCoordinates does not fix that detail.

At first glance the original and ffmpeg output seem the same:

exiftool -a -G1 -s -n -Keys:GPSCoordinates .
======== ./a_original.mp4
[Keys]          GPSCoordinates                  : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9
======== ./b_ffmpeg.mp4
[Keys]          GPSCoordinates                  : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9

...but using G5 switch reveals the bug in ffmpeg:

exiftool -a -G5 -s -n -Keys:GPSCoordinates .
======== ./a_original.mp4
[MOV-Movie-Meta-Keys] GPSCoordinates            : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9
======== ./b_ffmpeg.mp4
[MOV-Movie-UserData-Meta-Keys] GPSCoordinates   : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9

That can be fixed with:

exiftool -m -overwrite_original -api LargeFileSupport=1 -Keys:All= -tagsFromFile @ -Keys:All b_ffmpeg.mp4 

exiftool -a -G5 -s -n -Keys:GPSCoordinates .                                                             
======== ./a_original.mp4
[MOV-Movie-Meta-Keys] GPSCoordinates            : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9
======== ./b_ffmpeg.mp4
[MOV-Movie-Meta-Keys] GPSCoordinates            : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9

...but I use exiftool to copy metadata from the original to the re-encoded movies and do not try to use ffmpeg for that.

https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=15418.msg82847#msg82847

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Answer 2

Apr 4, 2024 11:34 PM in response to iAlex99

Apple's devices and apps favor Keys for movie metadata. GPS can be stored in Keys, UserData and ItemList. Photos.app reads Keys in .mp4, .m4v and .mov (UserData only in .mov). Google Photos reads all of those.

exiftool -a -G1 -s -n -Location:All movie.mp4
[Keys]          GPSCoordinates                  : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9
[UserData]      GPSCoordinates                  : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9
[ItemList]      GPSCoordinates                  : -36.6101 -66.91515 119.9

By default exiftool writes GPSCoordinates to ItemList so it must be explicitly written to Keys:GPSCoordinates:

exiftool -m -P -overwrite_original -Keys:GPSCoordinates='-36.6101, -66.91515, 119.9' movie.mp4

GraphicConverter 12 can also write and read movie metadata.

See also:

Movie dates and Photos.app - Apple Community

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Answer 3

iAlex99 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 5, 2024 1:43 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Hi Matti,

Thanks again for responding.

I think I know what the issue is, its Itunes for Windows syncing and somehow not presenting the metadata to the Photo App.

I just tested the following:

Synced a few videos .MOV & .MP4 via Itunes for Windows to a test iphone. The videos did not have any GPS location under Photo App. I then Airdrop the same videos to another phone, and on that phone I can see the GPS location.

So, its looks like a bug either in Itunes or iOS when videos are synced, when they are synced they are read-only.

I probably need to log a ticket with Apple.

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Answer 4

Apr 5, 2024 2:42 AM in response to iAlex99

Thanks for reporting this. I have briefly tested movie metadata on Windows (via VMware Fusion) but I have not used iTunes on Windows. Syncing from the Mac to an iOS device does preserve GPS.

Do you use the latest Apple Devices app:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/01/apple-previews-a-trio-of-apps-that-will-finally-replace-itunes-for-windows/

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/apple-overhauls-its-entire-windows-app-suite-including-icloud-and-apple-music/

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Answer 5

iAlex99 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 5, 2024 12:13 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Hi Matti,

Thank you for taking the time to reply and assist.

I have been setting the -Keys:GPSCoordinates on videos, also when I copy the video off the phone the -Keys has GPS, and without making any changes it does not show when synced back to the phone.

I have set all 3 on my .MP4 and it still does not show on the iphone. Below is a screen shot of the locations as shown by exiftool.

You have provided a link to a very comprehensive post, I will review that too.

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iphone video location not showing when video synced from itunes

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