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Forum Discussion
Photo uploads dates from iphone are off by 20+ years
I hit the dropbox backup this morning on my Iphone12 pro and the photos are backing up, but the dates are way off (January 2043/ March 2025 and February 2025), plus the photos with these dates are from 2000-2002. Any ideas why this is happening?
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi Jillwb, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Could you clarify if this is the date on the files themselves, or if the files have been renamed with those dates as well?
A screenshot showing the file name and date modified (while hiding any personal info), would be very helpful!
See screenshots - most of these pictures are from 2005-2006-not sure why they are even showing up in my uploads
- Nancy
Thanks for the screenshots, Jillwb; they really help.
Is this the first time you’re experiencing this behavior on the mobile app? Also, if I get this right, this is happening with files that have been automatically added to Dropbox via camera uploads, correct?
If you try to manually upload one of your files to the Dropbox app, do you experience the same thing?
Hi there
I was wondering if anyone could help with an annoying and puzzling problem... I have about over decade's worth of photos stored in Dropbox but some folders have the wrong date in the metadata - so they are taken in 2037 or 2053 and they're always at the top of my Photos display on the iPhone app.
I have tried to correct this by copying the folders to my Desktop, using Windows File Explorer to remove all possible personal data, and then copying the folders back into Dropbox. But even though the offending metadata doesn't appear to be there any more, Dropbox still seems to see it and they remain at the top of the Photos display on my iPhone.
I tried clearing the Dropbox cache on my PC, and logging out and back in again to the app on my iPhone, to no avail.
Does anyone know what might be going wrong and how to fix it?
I'd be really grateful for any suggestions.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Hannah - thanks very much for your reply.
I wasn't sure what you meant by manually uploading them, but here's what I've tried:
First, I removed the offending folder from Dropbox, by dragging it from the Dropbox folder to my desktop and telling Dropbox to delete it for everyone. Then I removed the metadata for some of the files, and dragged them back into the Dropbox folder - but they were still shown as being from 2037. I deleted the Dropbox cache from my PC, and I logged out of the mobile app and logged back in. None of that worked, and that's when I posted my original message. I restored the original folder to Dropbox via my web browser.
Just now, I have again removed the folder from Dropbox in the same way. Then I went through all the subfolders and deleted the metadata. Then I went to the Dropbox site through my web browser (Firefox) and uploaded the whole folder that way. (There are 2,500 items.) When I open the Dropbox mobile app, in the Photos tab, most of those photos are still shown as being from 2037. But it does seem to have worked for a few files - mainly jpegs that were altered in Photoshop, or via an app, or which were taken by someone else, or png screenshots.
There is another folder with the same problem, photos that were sent to me by someone else, and which are dated 2053. For these, I tried something else: I selected "Make available offline", then deleted the metadata for the Date taken, and waited for Dropbox to update. This didn't work: when I look in the Photos tab of the iPhone app, they are still shown in 2053, and when I select one of the pictures, it says "You have saved a new version" and gives me the option to refresh it. I do that, but it doesn't change anything - it still appears in 2053, even though the file info does show that the 2053 date has been removed. I'm pasting a screenshot below.
Is there anything else you could suggest?
Thanks in advance
Katie
Hi ....I am also having problems with Video metadata
Videos that are sent to me via social media (WhatsApp) which are then backed up using Dropbox using an iPhone appear with the date Jan 1st 1970 when using the IOS Dropbox app and the Dropbox.com photos page.
When the same videos are viewed on any other photo application, Onedrive/Google or Windows OS they have the correct date....
I have been using Dropbox for sometime and this hasn't happened before until now...
Dropbox seems to have lost/deleted the created date ...
Previous Videos that displayed correctly using Dropbox shows created date.
- Nancy
Hey NB141!
If you upload images from other social media platforms, do you experience the same thing?
Have you tried disabling and re-enabling the feature, to see if that makes a difference?
Hi Nancy Thank you for the reply!
If you upload images from other social media platforms, do you experience the same thing?
I mainly use WhatsApp, the problem arises when someone sends me a video. The video is automatically backed up via the Dropbox IOS App and is given a date of Jan 1st 1970. As noted before these videos are dated/viewed correctly on other media platforms, its just Dropbox that has the date problem when the videos are viewed by either the Dropbox app or Dropbox website. All other photos/media received via WhatsApp are dated correctly by Dropbox.
Have you tried disabling and re-enabling the feature, to see if that makes a difference?
Yes I have, plus I have cleared the cache, removed and reinstalled the Dropbox IOS App several times ...
