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ExifTool

Version: 12.82
Installer: Portable .exe / Perl distribution
Hives: HKCU

ExifTool is a platform-independent Perl library and command-line application for reading, writing, and editing metadata in image, audio, video, and PDF files. Widely used by photographers and digital archivists.

📁 Registry Paths

Path Hive Description
SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shell\ExifTool HKCU Optional shell context menu entry

🔑 Keys

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes*\shell\ExifTool

This key is created only when the user manually adds a Windows Explorer context menu entry for ExifTool.

Value Name Type Example Data Description
(Default) REG_SZ Run ExifTool Menu label

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes*\shell\ExifTool\command

Value Name Type Example Data Description
(Default) REG_SZ "C:\tools\exiftool.exe" "%1" Command to execute on selected file

📝 Notes

  • ExifTool is primarily a portable single-file executable — it creates no registry entries by default.
  • The HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shell\ExifTool context menu entry is optional and must be created manually or via a wrapper script.
  • Metadata edits are written to file headers, sidecar .xmp files, or backup files (.orig) — not to the registry.
  • On Windows, rename exiftool(-k).exe to exiftool.exe for command-line use.

🗑️ Cleanup

If you added a shell context menu entry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shell\ExifTool]

📦 Package Managers

Manager Install Command
winget winget install OliverBetz.ExifTool
Chocolatey choco install exiftool
Scoop scoop install exiftool