What photo dates and metadata can show
Last reviewed 20 October 2026 · by Eddy Hwang
Many renters assume a photo file “proves” when it was taken. In practice the date attached to a file is easy to lose or change, and it often is changed without anyone meaning to.
Three different dates
| Date | Where it lives | How reliable it is |
|---|---|---|
| Capture date in camera metadata (EXIF) | Inside the image file, written by the camera app. | Often removed when a photo is sent through a chat app or social network, and can be edited with ordinary tools. |
| File modified date | In your computer's or phone's file system. | Changes when a file is copied, downloaded or exported. It usually says when the file arrived, not when the photo was taken. |
| Date you write down | In your notes, a form or an email. | As reliable as your record keeping. Sending it to someone at the time creates a third-party record of when you said it. |
Formats change on the way
Phones may hand a photo to a website in a different format from the one you see in your gallery. Apple, for example, notes that when you share photos taken in its newer formats, “the media might automatically be shared in a more compatible format, such as JPEG” (Apple Support). Each conversion is another chance for metadata to change.
What MoveRecord does
- It reads only the image and its rotation, turns the photo upright and saves a new JPEG. Browsers can apply the camera rotation while decoding (MDN: createImageBitmap).
- The new JPEG does not carry the original metadata: no GPS position, camera model or capture time is copied into the PDF.
- It prints the move-in and move-out dates you type, labelled “entered by you”, and the date the PDF was generated, labelled as such. It never presents a file date as a photo date.
Removing metadata is not the same as removing information. A house number on the door, a name on an envelope or a face in a mirror is part of the picture and stays in the PDF. Check your photos before you share them.
If timing matters to you
Keep the original photo files unchanged in a safe place. Send your move-in record to your landlord or agent soon after you move in, so there is a dated message showing what you sent. These are general habits, not legal advice; ask a local tenants' service about what is expected where you live.