Find out if a photo is real, edited or made by AI before you trust it. See the AI labels, Content Credentials, camera details and hidden location inside the file, then check where else the photo appears online. Your photo never leaves your device.
Check a photo now →- Runs on your device
- Nothing uploaded
- No sign-up
- Free
Drop a photo here
JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC or AVIF. Use the original file if you can: photos saved from social media lose most of their data.
On a computer you can also paste an image with Ctrl+V or ⌘V.
Checked in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
No automated check can prove a photo is real. Use these results together with a reverse search and the checks further down.
Drag across the photo to compare. Areas that glow much brighter or darker than similar surfaces nearby may have been pasted in or edited. Edges, text and fine detail always glow a little.
What the file shows
This photo contains a location
The camera’s original thumbnail
Many cameras save a small preview inside the file when the photo is taken. If it shows something different from the full photo (an object missing or added, another background, different people), the photo was changed later. A different crop or rotation is normal, and some apps refresh the preview when editing, so a match proves nothing.
All details
Find where else it appears
A reverse image search is the single best test. Stolen photos turn up under other names, on older listings or on stock photo sites. Try at least two engines, since each finds different matches.
On a phone, the quickest way is to long-press the photo in your browser and choose “Search with Google Lens” or “Search image”.
Check the story around it
Most photo scams use real photos with a fake story. Choose where you saw the photo for a short checklist.
What the photo checker looks for
Six checks in one place. Each finding is labelled Strong, Moderate, Weak or Note, so you know how much weight to give it.
AI labels in the file
IPTC “digital source type” tags, Stable Diffusion and ComfyUI settings, Midjourney job IDs and the names of AI tools such as DALL·E, Firefly, Gemini and FLUX.
Content Credentials
Detects C2PA provenance records that Adobe, OpenAI, Google and Canva add, and shows the recorded steps. Verify the signature at contentcredentials.org.
Camera data and dates
Camera make and model, lens and exposure, when it was taken and when it was saved again, plus the preview the camera stored inside.
Hidden location
Warns when GPS coordinates are stored in the photo and gives you a clean copy with all metadata removed before you share it.
Error level analysis
Re-saves the photo and shows how much each area changes, so pasted-in or retouched parts can stand out. A hint, never proof.
Reverse image search
One click to Google Lens, TinEye, Bing and Yandex to see if the photo appears under another name or on an older post.
How to check if a photo is real
Three steps. The original file gives the most information; screenshots and social media downloads lose most of it.
Add the photo
Drop it in, choose a file or paste with Ctrl+V. JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC and AVIF work.
Read the findings
Start with the verdict, then the findings and the error-level slider. Strong findings matter most.
Search and check the story
Run a reverse image search and go through the checklist for where you saw the photo.
What the results mean
No tool can prove a photo is real. The checker reports what is inside the file; metadata can be removed or written by anyone.
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The file says it was made with AI | An AI generator wrote its label, settings or name into the file. | Strong evidence. People rarely add these labels by hand. |
| Signs of AI editing | AI editing tools or AI-generated parts are recorded. | Part of the scene may be generated. Look closely at faces and edges. |
| This photo has been edited | Editing software or a later save date. | Common and not proof of fakery. Check error levels and the story. |
| Camera details are present | Camera make, model and settings. | Supports a real capture, but camera data can be copied. |
| The file gives no clues | All metadata was removed. | Normal for social media and messaging apps. Use reverse search. |
Look closely: signs of an AI image
Newer AI images fix many of these mistakes, so finding none proves nothing. Finding several is a strong hint. Zoom in to full size.
Hands and fingers
Extra or merged fingers, joints bending the wrong way, hands that fade into objects.
Text and signs
Lettering on signs, labels or shirts that turns into nonsense up close, or logos that are almost right.
Light and shadows
Shadows falling in different directions, faces lit from a side with no light, reflections that don’t match the scene.
Pairs that don’t match
Two different earrings, glasses with mismatched frames, collars or sleeves that differ left to right.
Backgrounds that melt
Railings, windows or tiles that bend, repeat or blend together; people in the background with blurred, unfinished faces.
Too-perfect skin
Airbrushed, waxy skin with no pores, perfectly symmetrical faces and a glossy, studio look in a casual setting.
Frequently asked questions
Can this tool tell for sure if a photo is AI-generated?
No tool can prove a photo is real. This checker reads labels that AI tools and cameras write into the file, shows traces of editing, and helps you find where else the photo appears. If the file says it was made with AI, that is strong evidence. If it says nothing, the answer is unknown, not proof the photo is genuine.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
No. The photo is read and analyzed inside your browser and is never sent to a server. The reverse search buttons only open other websites when you choose to use them.
Does it work with screenshots and photos from social media?
Yes, but expect fewer clues. Screenshots never had camera data, and social networks and messaging apps remove metadata when you share a photo. The checker says so, and a reverse image search becomes your best test.
Why does my photo show no metadata?
Social networks, messaging apps and many websites remove metadata when you upload or share a photo, and screenshots never had camera data. A photo with no metadata tells you nothing either way, so use reverse image search and the visual checks instead.
What is error level analysis?
Error level analysis (ELA) saves a JPEG again and shows how much each area changes. Areas pasted in or edited later can respond differently from the rest of the photo and glow brighter or darker. Edges, text and fine detail always glow, and photos re-saved by social media lose most of this signal, so treat it as a hint, not proof.
What are Content Credentials (C2PA)?
Content Credentials are an open standard, backed by companies including Adobe, Microsoft, OpenAI and Google, that records how an image was made and edited inside the file. Several AI image tools add them automatically. This checker detects them and reads key labels; to validate the digital signature, use the free verify tool at contentcredentials.org/verify.
How do I check a photo from a dating profile or rental listing?
Run a reverse image search to see if the photo appears under another name or on an older listing, ask for a live video call or an in-person viewing, and never send money, gift cards or crypto before you have verified the person or property.
How do I remove location data from a photo?
Load the photo in this checker. If it contains GPS coordinates, use Download clean copy to save a new JPEG with all metadata, including location, removed.