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GeoProof

How to take a picture with GPS coordinates and a time stamp on iPhone

An iPhone photo can carry GPS data buried in its metadata with nothing printed on the image, which is not enough when the other side says prove it. The built-in Camera saves location in the file but shows nothing on the picture itself. A GPS camera app such as GeoProof draws it on: pick which fields to show, then export the stamped copy.

3 min read · Updated 2026-09-16

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Why the normal iPhone camera is not enough

With location services on, the iPhone Camera writes latitude and longitude into the file, and the Photos app can show that on a small map. The image stays clean, which is the whole problem: anyone who gets it by chat, email or print sees no coordinates, and most sharing paths strip the metadata anyway.

A timestamp camera draws the data straight onto the picture instead. That is what inspectors, site crews and adjusters actually want — the where and when readable at a glance, in the report, on paper, no second app required to check it.

How to take a photo with GPS location on iPhone in GeoProof

  1. Open GeoProof and tap Get Started at the end of the intro, then allow location while using the app. Without it, photos are saved with no location.
  2. The app opens on the Camera tab. Look at the badge in the top-left: GPS, signal bars and a ± figure in metres. Wait until it drops to a few metres.
  3. Tap the globe pill above the shutter and choose a Coordinate format: Decimal (DD), DMS, MGRS or UTM.
  4. Tap the template pill to open Overlay Template and pick one from Built-in, for example Construction or Survey.
  5. If you have more than one project, check Save captures to so the photo lands in the right one.
  6. Press the shutter. The live panel you see is what will be stamped.
  7. Tap the thumbnail in the bottom-left, open the photo and tap Export. In the share sheet, save it to Photos or Files, or send it by Mail.

What the stamp looks like: a worked example

Here is what the Survey template actually printed on a photo taken at 37.7983° N, 122.3778° W, with the phone reporting 64.4 m altitude, 4.7 m accuracy and a 312° heading. Rounded exactly as the app rounds it, not tidied up for this page.

Survey template values for one capture
FieldShown on the photo
Decimal37.798300°, -122.377800°
MGRS10SEG 5477 8361
UTM10N 554777 4183619
AltitudeALT 64 m
GPS accuracyACC ±5 m
Compass headingHDG 312° NW

The date and time are printed as year-month-day and 24-hour time with seconds, in the phone's local time. No time zone is added.

Which fields can you put on the picture?

Each template is a list of fields. Available ones are Project name, Date & time, Coordinates (in your chosen format), each format separately, Address, Altitude, GPS accuracy, Compass heading, Speed, Bearing / course and Custom text.

To build your own, tap Create custom template in the template sheet. Give it a Template name, choose a Style (Card, Minimal, Bold bar or Tactical), a Position such as Bottom left or Bottom bar, an Accent color, then use Add field. Free users can save one custom template.

Is the stamp on the original photo?

No, and that is deliberate. GeoProof saves the original JPEG untouched, with standard GPS metadata inside, and keeps the overlay separate. The stamp is burned into a copy when you tap Export, build a PDF report or make a ZIP. That means you can switch template or coordinate format after the fact.

In the free version, the exported copy also carries a small GeoProof mark in the top-right corner. Pro removes it.

Tips and common mistakes

  • Step outside or near a window before shooting: indoors, under trees or between tall buildings, accuracy can run to tens of metres.
  • The address needs internet and only refreshes after about 50 m of movement, so offline it just drops off the stamp.
  • The stamped time follows the latest GPS fix, not the shutter. Stood still for a while? Take a step first.
  • Free accounts get 20 camera captures a calendar month; the counter by the shutter shows what is left.
  • Expecting the saved file in Photos to carry the stamp — it will not. Export it. The original never changes.

Questions and answers

How do I add GPS coordinates to photos I already took?
GeoProof reads the location already saved in a photo when you import it into a project, and can export a stamped copy. It cannot add a location to a photo that was taken with location switched off.
Does the timestamp camera work offline?
Yes. Coordinates, altitude, accuracy, heading and time need no connection. Only the address line and map background need internet.
Can I stamp the weather on the photo?
No. The app does not fetch weather, so the Weather field in the editor stays empty.
Can I change the format after taking the photo?
Yes. The photo's Location data card always shows decimal, DMS, MGRS and UTM, and the export uses the format and template you have set.

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