Forum Discussion
OneDrive changing dates
Well, it's a year later, and a new Beta Photos app for Onedrive is out there. An opportunity to capture Exif data on import -- was it taken, or squandered? And if not now, when will Microsoft Team correct this obvious error, now a year old?
It’s a very valid question, especially given how long this issue has been around.
Just to clarify upfront, I’m not a Microsoft employee — just a fellow OneDrive user like you. So I can’t provide any official statements or timelines on if or when this will be fully addressed.
From what’s been discussed in Microsoft’s own Q&A forums, this doesn’t appear to be a simple bug but rather part of how OneDrive currently works. It often treats uploaded files as new files, meaning the “Date Created” reflects the upload time, even though the EXIF “Date Taken” may still exist in the file.
At the same time, multiple users report that OneDrive ignores or inconsistently uses the “Date Taken” metadata for sorting, especially after uploads or certain actions.
So while newer features (like the Photos experience) may display EXIF data better, the underlying behavior hasn’t really changed in a consistent way.
The most reliable workarounds are still:
- Avoid using the mobile app for large archival uploads
- Transfer files via PC into a OneDrive-synced folder (this tends to preserve metadata better)
- Or use third-party tools/apps if you need more control over dates
Unfortunately, there’s still no clear indication that a full fix (like a “preserve EXIF dates” option) is coming anytime soon. If you want to push for change, the best route is to submit feedback through OneDrive or vote on existing threads in Microsoft’s feedback portal.
Hope that helps clarify things a bit🙂