Can I tell which iPhone took the image?

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Level 1

126 points

Can I tell which iPhone took the image?

Hi, my wife and I use identical iPhones.

After a holiday I import our images into Lightroom and I am wondering if there is a setting anywhere in iOS where I can add my own metadata, for example in a copyright field?

If I could do this then I could put our names into the field so it added to every image and visible in Lightroom or other image editing software or even in macOS Preview. Another way is if I could see the iPhone serial number but that does not seem to be there like it is for my mirrorless camera.

Any help appreciated.

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 17

Posted on Aug 2, 2024 3:35 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

200,977 points

Aug 2, 2024 5:05 AM in response to iwaddo

On the iPhone you could add your name in the caption of the photo.

To write a text to the caption open the Info of a photo.

But you have to add it manually, it is not possible to add it automatically.

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Answer 2

Aug 2, 2024 8:34 AM in response to iwaddo

It seems only the iOS version can be different in two identical iPhones. Otherwise IFD0:Model could be used. RunTime Tags should also be different but using them is not practical because they represent the amount of time the phone has been running since the last boot, not including standby time.

So one clumsy option is to deliberately keep the phones' iOS slightly different and use a command like (GraphicConverter can display that Rights tag but use any other tag you like):

exiftool -a -G1 -s -Software -XMP:Rights . 
======== ./2024-0420-1520-25.heic
[IFD0]          Software                        : 16.7.7
======== ./2024-0607-1224-47.heic
[IFD0]          Software                        : 16.7.8

exiftool -if '$IFD0:Software eq "16.7.8"' '-XMP:Rights=iwaddo' -execute -if '$IFD0:Software eq "16.7.7"' '-XMP:Rights=wife' -common_args -P -overwrite_original_in_place .
    1 directories scanned
    1 files failed condition
    1 image files updated
    1 directories scanned
    1 files failed condition
    1 image files updated

exiftool -a -G1 -s -Software -XMP:Rights .
======== ./2024-0420-1520-25.heic
[IFD0]          Software                        : 16.7.7
[XMP-dc]        Rights                          : wife
======== ./2024-0607-1224-47.heic
[IFD0]          Software                        : 16.7.8
[XMP-dc]        Rights                          : iwaddo

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