Microsoft Photo Info was a free, official utility released by Microsoft in January 2007 to allow digital photographers to view, edit, and fix image metadata (EXIF and IPTC data) directly from the operating system.
The tool was designed as a lightweight shell extension for Windows XP (SP2) and Windows Vista. It added a custom “Photo Info” option to the standard right-click context menu in Windows Explorer. Key Features of Microsoft Photo Info
Batch Editing: Users could select a single image or a large group of photos simultaneously to apply uniform metadata (such as copyright or author names) all at once.
Time and Date Correction: A prominent feature was the ability to fix incorrect EXIF capture timestamps. This allowed photographers to fix images if their camera’s internal clock had been misconfigured or set to the wrong time zone.
IPTC and EXIF Merging: It read technical data generated automatically by cameras (EXIF parameters like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) and allowed manual input for descriptive metadata (IPTC fields like keywords, titles, descriptions, and locations).
Enhanced Hover Previews: Once installed, hovering a mouse cursor over an image file in Windows Explorer revealed an expanded tool-tip with a wealth of photographic and technical data.
Lossless Saving: The tool only edited the metadata text headers and promised not to alter or degrade the original image pixel data when saving modifications. Current Status and Compatibility Microsoft Photo Info 1.0 is deprecated and obsolete.
Operating System Lock: The software was engineered exclusively for 32-bit legacy systems. It cannot run natively on modern modern 64-bit operating systems like Windows 10 or Windows 11.
The “Maker Note” Flaw: Shortly after launch, advanced photography communities (like DPReview Forums) discovered a flaw in how the utility shifted proprietary camera information (“Maker Notes”). This could occasionally cause data corruption if the file was later edited in third-party software like Adobe Photoshop. Microsoft ultimately stopped developing the tool. Modern Built-in Alternatives in Windows
You no longer need a separate application to edit basic image metadata. Modern versions of Windows have integrated these functions directly into the operating system:
How can I remove metadata from images? | Microsoft Community Hub
On Windows, right-click the image → Properties → Details → Remove Properties and Personal Information. Microsoft Community Hub How To View & Edit Photo MetaData (EXIF Data) in Windows PC
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