SharePoint Document Issues

How to Display a Photo's Original Capture Date in a SharePoint Library

Olivia Miller Oct 13, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to display the original date a photo was taken on their device, rather than the date it was uploaded to the SharePoint document library.

How to Display a Photo's Original Capture Date in a SharePoint Library

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Uploading photos taken with a smartphone to a SharePoint document library and needing a column that accurately reflects when the photos were actually shot.
Observed behavior: The default SharePoint 'Created' column only displays the date and time the photo was uploaded into the library, ignoring the photo's original EXIF capture date metadata.

Before you start

Ensure you have list management permissions to create custom columns in your SharePoint library, and verify that you have access to Microsoft Power Automate if you intend to automatically extract EXIF metadata.

Solution 1

Show the Default 'Created' Column (Upload Date)

Use this built-in method if tracking the exact upload date is sufficient for your SharePoint library tracking needs.

Navigate to library view

Open your SharePoint document library where the photos are stored.

Modify visible columns

Click on 'Add column' at the far right of the column headers, then select 'Show or hide columns' from the drop-down menu.

Select the Created column

Check the box next to 'Created' in the list of available columns, then click 'Apply' to save the view.

Important Distinction: The 'Created' column strictly represents the upload date. It will not automatically read or display the original photo capture date from the image's EXIF data.

Solution 2Recommended

Extract EXIF Capture Date Using Power Automate

Create a custom workflow to automatically read the hidden metadata of uploaded photos and write the original capture date into a dedicated SharePoint column.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the SharePoint 'Created' column show today's date for an old photograph?

The 'Created' column in a SharePoint document library records the exact date and time the file was introduced to the SharePoint system (the upload date), not the date the photo was originally taken on your camera or smartphone.

Can I manually add the capture date to photos in SharePoint without using Power Automate?

Yes. You can create a new 'Date and Time' column named 'Original Date' and manually type in or select the correct date for each photo using the 'Edit in grid view' or individual 'Properties' pane.

Why do I get a syntax error when trying to use formulas for date columns in SharePoint?

Syntax errors in SharePoint calculated columns often happen due to regional settings (e.g., needing to use semicolons instead of commas as separators) or referencing a column name that does not exist. Ensure your formula syntax exactly matches your environment's locale requirements.

Document & File Issues