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Fix OneDrive Date Taken Metadata Changing When Favoriting Photos
Question details
Users need a way to prevent OneDrive from altering or losing the Date Taken metadata on their photos when using the favorites feature, which currently disrupts timeline sorting.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Device & OS
- Android and Web
- Scenario
- Marking synchronized photos as favorites within the OneDrive mobile app or web interface.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive Personal appears to remove or ignore the Date Taken EXIF metadata during the favoriting process, causing images to sort incorrectly in both the Android app and the web interface.
Ensure that your photos have fully synchronized to the OneDrive cloud before attempting to mark them as favorites or organizing them into different albums.
Wait for Complete Synchronization Before Favoriting
Prevent metadata loss by ensuring the photo is fully uploaded and processed by OneDrive before you interact with it.
OneDrive's caching and preview generation can sometimes conflict with EXIF metadata if a file is modified before the initial sync completes. Waiting for a complete upload reduces the risk of data loss.
Add your photos to the OneDrive folder on your device or via the mobile app.
Wait until the cloud icon or progress bar indicates that the file upload is 100% complete and fully processed.
Only after confirming the sync is complete, tap or click the star icon to mark the photos as favorites.
Organize Photos Using Folders Instead of Favorites
Avoid the buggy favorites feature entirely by using traditional folder structures to manage your top photos.
Contact OneDrive Support for Advanced Troubleshooting
If metadata continues to be lost and affects your file organization, report the ongoing issue directly to Microsoft.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does OneDrive change the Date Taken on my photos?
OneDrive sometimes loses or ignores EXIF metadata during synchronization, preview generation, background caching, or when applying metadata tags like 'favorites'. This is a known limitation in how the Microsoft service processes image files.
Can I restore the lost EXIF metadata in OneDrive?
Once the metadata is stripped by the OneDrive web or mobile app during the favoriting process, it cannot be automatically restored from the cloud. You will likely need to re-upload the original photos from your local device.
Is there a better way to sort photos correctly without using favorites?
Yes. Instead of using the native favorites feature, try organizing your photos into specific folders or manual albums. This structural approach avoids triggering the metadata bug while keeping your most important images easily accessible.
