Guide
A Metadata Fixer alternative that runs in your browser
Metadata Fixer and Takeoutfix solve the same problem: a Google Photos Takeout keeps each photo's date, place and caption in a JSON file, and both tools write them back into the photos. Here is how they differ, so you can pick the one that suits you, or neither.
Side by side
| Metadata Fixer | Takeoutfix | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux | A web page; the work runs in your browser |
| Install | Download and install | Nothing to install; writing needs Chrome or Edge on a computer |
| Your photos | Processed on your computer, not uploaded | Processed in your browser, not uploaded |
| Free | A demo that processes up to 100 files | The full scan, plus 100 photos and videos fixed from each library |
| Paid | A one-time license for unlimited use on one computer, with optional plugins (current price) | $9 once per library, with free re-runs of that library for 7 days |
| Extras | Plugins for duplicates, corrupted images and video encoding | A per-file report (also as CSV) and folders by year and month or by album |
| Refunds | 30-day money-back guarantee | Fixed or refunded if it doesn't work as described, within 14 days |
Metadata Fixer's details are from its pricing page and FAQ as of October 2026. Check there for anything that has changed.
When Metadata Fixer is the better choice
- You use Linux, or only Safari or Firefox. Takeoutfix needs Chrome or Edge to write the fixed folder.
- You'll fix several different libraries (family members, several accounts) on one computer. A license covers them all; Takeoutfix is one payment per library.
- You want its duplicate finder or file repair plugins.
- You need the file dates in Finder or Explorer set too. Takeoutfix can't set those from a browser (it writes the date inside each file, which is what photo apps read). A desktop app isn't limited that way, so check Metadata Fixer's documentation if that matters to you.
When Takeoutfix is the better choice
- You'd rather not install anything, or can't on a work or shared computer.
- You want to see the result on your own photos first: the scan shows how many files matched their JSON and how, and 100 photos and videos are fixed free to import and check.
- You have one library to move and only want to pay for that.
The free route: ExifTool
Both apps do what ExifTool can do from the command line for free. If you're comfortable with a terminal, this copies the date from each photo's JSON into the photo:
exiftool -r -d %s -api QuickTimeUTC -tagsfromfile "%d%F.supplemental-metadata.json" \ "-DateTimeOriginal<PhotoTakenTimeTimestamp" "-CreateDate<PhotoTakenTimeTimestamp" \ "-FileModifyDate<PhotoTakenTimeTimestamp" \ --ext json -overwrite_original -progress "Takeout/Google Photos"
It needs a second run for older .json names and misses cut-off names, duplicates and edited copies. The wrong-date guide explains every part and its limits; the location guide adds GPS.
How to try Takeoutfix
- Open Takeoutfix in Chrome or Edge and add every zip part (or the extracted folder).
- Read the free scan. No account, no email.
- Fix 100 photos and videos free, import them into your photo app and look at the dates and places.
- Pay $9 once for the whole library if they're right.
Related guides
- A Google Photos Takeout Helper alternative without the command line
- Google Takeout photos have the wrong date: why, and how to fix it
- Move Google Photos to iCloud and keep the dates
Takeoutfix matches every photo and video in your Takeout to its JSON, writes the date, place and caption back into the files, and files a fixed copy by year and month. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. The scan is free, and so is fixing 100 photos and videos from your own library to check the result. The whole library is $9, once.
Scan your Takeout free