How to Add a Location and Timestamp to Your Photos on iPhone

TL;DR

GeoCam writes place, coordinates, altitude and time into the pixels as you shoot. Unlike hidden EXIF data, it survives social apps, screenshots and documents. It needs location permission, and GPS can take a moment to settle indoors.

The problem

Every iPhone photo already knows where and when it was taken. That information sits in hidden metadata (EXIF), and most of the places photos end up strip it out: social apps, messaging apps, screenshots, a photo dropped into a Word or PDF report. A month later all you have is a picture of a wall, and “which wall, and on what day?” has no answer.

Typing captions by hand doesn’t scale. You forget, you get it wrong, and the caption is separate from the picture, so it gets lost the first time the photo is forwarded.

What GeoCam does about it

GeoCam draws the context onto the picture itself while you shoot. There’s nothing to add afterwards, and nothing for a platform to strip, because the information is part of the pixels.

By default a stamp can carry:

  • Date and time
  • Place name
  • Coordinates and altitude
  • Weather
  • Device info

You choose which of these show and where they sit, from 24 ready-made styles ranging from a clean Minimal band to Polaroid and Passport Stamp looks. If you shoot for work, the same camera has a Work & proof mode with bearing, GPS accuracy and UTM/MGRS coordinates (see documenting field work).

How to do it

  1. Open GeoCam. It refreshes your GPS as the camera loads.
  2. Allow location access when asked. Without it there are no coordinates to stamp.
  3. Pick a style. The live preview already shows the stamp on your scene.
  4. Frame the shot and press the shutter (or a volume button).
  5. The photo is saved with the stamp in it.

What to watch for

  • Let GPS settle. Indoors, or in the first seconds after opening the camera, the position can be rough. If the place name looks off, wait a moment and shoot again.
  • It’s permanent. The stamp is baked into that photo. You can’t switch it off later, so choose the style before you shoot. Your untouched shots are not the place to experiment.
  • Keep it off your subject. Choose a style whose placement doesn’t cover what matters, or move elements yourself. See customising the stamp.
  • A stamp isn’t a notary. It’s a clear, visible record, not tamper-proof evidence. For anything legal, see the notes in the field-work guide.

Free or Pro?

Stamping photos and video with location and time is part of the free camera. Free adds a small GeoCam badge to exports and shows ads; Pro removes both. Details in Free vs. Pro.

FAQ

Is the location actually visible on the photo? Yes. GeoCam burns it into the image, so it stays visible after you share, screenshot or paste the photo into a document.

What exactly gets stamped? Date and time, place name, coordinates, altitude and, if you choose, weather. You pick which elements appear and where.

Why does the location sometimes look wrong? GPS needs a moment to settle, especially indoors or right after opening the camera. Wait for it to lock before shooting something that matters.

Can I stamp videos too? Yes. The stamp is drawn into every frame while you record, at 720p, 1080p or 4K.

The app GeoCam+ →