GeoTag is a free macOS application that allows you to update image metadata with geolocation tags by panning and zooming in a map window and then clicking on the location where a photo was taken. It is a good way to add location information to photos or fine tune existing location information.

Image file updates are performed using Phil Harvey’s ExifTool. This allows geolocation data to be modified an unlimited number of times with no image degradation as ExifTool modifies metadata without changing the image data. See http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/ for information regarding ExifTool.

GeoTag Version 4

Announcing GeoTag version 4.4

Version 4.4 uses Apple Maps and contains its own copy of ExifTool.

2018-10-19 — Version 4.4.1 is an Apple Notarized version that enables the hardened runtime for improved security. Users should not notice any difference between versions 4.4.1 and 4.4.

GeoTag Information and Help pages

Version 4.4.1 download Requires macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or later. The file is about 11 MB in size. Open the dmg file once downloaded and drag the GeoTag application into your Applications folder. Please read the included README file for notes about image backups.

If for some reason version 4.4.1 does not work for you please try version 4.4 (and let me know of your issue).

New Features (4.4)

• GeoTag can now read GPS track logs in the format of a GPX file and display tracks on the map. This can help locate places where pictures were taken. Use Open (⌘-O) to select GPX files. GPX files can also be dragged onto the table.
• Image location can be updated from a GPS track logs. Select the images to update and use ⌘L, Edit -> Locn from track, or crtl-click -> Locn from track. Note: this can be time consuming depending upon the number of images selected and the number of track log point loaded.
• Images can now be opened with GeoTag. You can select one or more images in finder and then right click and select the “Open With” option. GeoTag will be one of app choices.
• Double clicking on a row in the table will open a window to update the timestamp of the image. Timestamps are not changed during cut/copy/paste operations.
• A time delta can be applied to multiple images. Select the images and use ⌘T, Edit -> Modify Date/Time, or ctrl-click -> Modify Date/Time. Enter the new time for the selected image. A time delta between the new and the existing date/time will be calculated. That delta is then applied to all selected items.
• Images can be selected and the map can be panned/zoomed while saving images. Images locations can not be edited until the save is complete.
• The last 10 map searches are saved across program runs. When Clicking on the search box saved search strings are indicated by a down arrow next to the Q icon. Click on the arrow next to open the menu of saved search strings.
• ExifTool version 11.10
• (internal) Swift 4.2, Xcode 10

Bug fixes

• undoing a location update on an image that did not have a previous location resulted in a location of lat: 0, lon: 0. This has been fixed to restore the image to its “no location assigned” state.
• undoing all actions did not clear the window modified flag causing a “please save” message when window was closed/application terminated.
• No more beachball when saving large number of images. Multiple images are saved in parallel, but the save process can still be quite slow.
• If GeoTag (or your computer) crashed with files opened and one or more of the opened files was moved to a different folder GeoTag would crash on attempts to re-open the file.

Known Bugs

• Setting the date of an image outside of the range of 1970-2034 may result in an incorrect GPS Date Stamp. This is a limitation of how GeoTag, ExifTool, and macOS libraries handle date and time. One hopes that the year 2034 limit will eventually be removed ;)
• You can not re-position a pin by dragging the pin. Instead click on the desired location

GeoTag source code is available on github [link]

Don’t see a feature you want? Know how to code? Grab the code and dig in.

Notes:

• Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09 used “places” to set geolocations. GeoTag was not needed. However, some found GeoTag easier to use.
• Due to the way Aperture, iPhoto, and Photos handle metadata geolocation changes using GeoTag must be made before the photos are imported into those applications.
• Please send bug reports, feature requests, or other comments to marc@snafu.org