viewing and editing IPTC metadata in Darktable

gwalker_474 · April 11, 2026, 8:19am

I am trying to view and edit IPTC image metadata using Darktable. I have downloaded the 2025.1 reference image from https://iptc.org/standards/photo-metadata/iptc-standard/.

Exiftool shows the values of the IPTC fields:

File Name                       : IPTC-PhotometadataRef-Std2025.1.jpg
Image Description               : The description aka caption (ref2025.1)
Artist                          : Creator1 (ref2025.1)
Copyright                       : Copyright (Notice) 2025.1 IPTC - www.iptc.org  (ref2025.1)
Date/Time Original              : 2025:11:03 00:25:01
Object Name                     : The Title (ref2025.1)
Keywords                        : Keyword1ref2025.1, Keyword2ref2025.1, Keyword3ref2025.1
Special Instructions            : An Instruction (ref2025.1)
By-line                         : Creator1 (ref2025.1)
By-line Title                   : Creator's Job Title  (ref2025.1)
Sub-location                    : Sublocation (Core) (ref2025.1)
Province-State                  : Province/State(Core)(ref2025.1)
Country-Primary Location Name   : Country (Core) (ref2025.1)
Original Transmission Reference : Job Id (ref2025.1)
Copyright Notice                : Copyright (Notice) 2025.1 IPTC - www.iptc.org  (ref2025.1)
Caption-Abstract                : The description aka caption (ref2025.1)
Writer-Editor                   : Description Writer (ref2025.1)
Alt Text Accessibility          : This is the Alt Text description to support accessibility in 2025.1
Alt Text Accessibility (en)     : This is the Alt Text description to support accessibility in 2025.1
Creator City                    : Creator's CI: City (ref2025.1)
Creator Country                 : Creator's CI: Country (ref2025.1)
Creator Address                 : Creator's CI: Address, line 1 (ref2025.1)
Creator Postal Code             : Creator's CI: Postcode (ref2025.1)
Creator Region                  : Creator's CI: State/Province (ref2025.1)
Creator Work Email              : Creator's CI: Email@1, Email@2 (ref2025.1)
Creator Work Telephone          : Creator's CI: Phone # 1, Phone # 2 (ref2025.1)
Creator Work URL                : http://www.Creators.CI/WebAddress/ref2025.1
Ext Descr Accessibility         : This is the Extended Description to support accessibility in 2025.1
Ext Descr Accessibility (en)    : This is the Extended Description to support accessibility in 2025.1
Location                        : Sublocation (Core) (ref2025.1)
AI Prompt Information           : IPTC Reference image for version 2025.1 of the standard
AI Prompt Writer Name           : IPTC PMD Working Group (ref 2025.1)
AI System Version Used          : 2025.1
About Cv Term Cv Id             : http://example.com/cv/about/ref2025.1
About Cv Term Id                : http://example.com/cv/about/ref2025.1/code987
About Cv Term Name              : CV-Term Name 1 (ref2025.1)
About Cv Term Refined About     : http://example.com/cv/refinements2/ref2025.1/codeX145
Additional Model Information    : Additional Model Info (ref2025.1)
Artwork Circa Date Created      : AO Circa Date: between 1550 and 1600 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Content Description     : AO Content Description 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Contribution Description: AO Contribution Description 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Copyright Notice        : AO Copyright Notice 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Creator                 : AO Creator Name 1a (ref2025.1), AO Creator Name 1b (ref2025.1)
Artwork Creator ID              : AO Creator Id 1a (ref2025.1), AO Creator Id 1b (ref2025.1)
Artwork Copyright Owner ID      : AO Current Copyright Owner ID 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Copyright Owner Name    : AO Current Copyright Owner Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Licensor ID             : AO Current Licensor ID 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Licensor Name           : AO Current Licensor Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Physical Description    : AO Physical Description 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Source                  : AO Source 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Source Inventory No     : AO Source Inventory No 1 (ref2025.1)
Artwork Source Inv URL          : AO Source Inventory URL (ref2025.1)
Artwork Style Period            : AO Style Baroque (ref2025.1), AO Style Italian Baroque (ref2025.1)
Artwork Title                   : AO Title 1 (ref2025.1)
Contributor Name                : Contributor Name 1 (ref2025.1), Contributor Name 2 (ref2025.1)
Contributor Role                : https://example.com/contributor-role-cv/ref2025.1-1), https://example.com/contributor-role-cv/ref2025.1-2)
Contributor Identifier          : Contributor Id 1 (ref2025.1), Contributor Id 2 (ref2025.1)
Digital Image GUID              : http://example.com/imageGUIDs/TestGUID12345/ref2025.1
Embedded Encoded Rights Expr    : The Encoded Rights Expression (ERE) (ref2025.1)
Embedded Encoded Rights Expr Type: IANA Media Type of ERE (ref2025.1)
Embedded Encoded Rights Expr Lang ID: http://example.org/RELids/id4711/ref2025.1
Event                           : Event Name (ref2025.1)
Event ID                        : https://example.com/events/ref2025.1-a, https://example.com/events/ref2025.1-b
Genre Cv Id                     : http://example.com/cv/genre/ref2025.1
Genre Cv Term Id                : http://example.com/cv/genre/ref2025.1/code1369
Genre Cv Term Name              : Genre CV-Term Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Genre Cv Term Refined About     : http://example.com/cv/genrerefinements2/ref2025.1/codeY864
Image Region Organisation In Image Name: Organisation name no 1 in region persltr1 (ref2025.1), Organisation name no 1 in region persltr2 (ref2025.1), Organisation name no 1 in region persspkr1 (ref2025.1)
Image Region Person In Image    : Person name no 1 in region persltr1 (ref2025.1), Person name no 1 in region persltr2 (ref2025.1), Person name no 1 in region persspkr1 (ref2025.1)
Image Region Ctype Name         : Region Boundary Content Type Name (ref2025.1), Region Boundary Content Type Name (ref2025.1), Region Boundary Content Type Name (ref2025.1)
Image Region Ctype Identifier   : https://example.org/rctype/type_ref2025.1-a, https://example.org/rctype/type_ref2025.1-b, https://example.org/rctype/type_ref2025.1-a, https://example.org/rctype/type_ref2025.1-b, https://example.org/rctype/type_ref2025.1-a, https://example.org/rctype/type_ref2025.1-b
Image Region Role Name          : Region Boundary Content Role Name (ref2025.1), Region Boundary Content Role Name (ref2025.1), Region Boundary Content Role Name (ref2025.1)
Image Region Role Identifier    : https://example.org/rrole/role_ref2025.1-a, https://example.org/rrole/role_ref2025.1-b, https://example.org/rrole/role_ref2025.1-a, https://example.org/rrole/role_ref2025.1-b, https://example.org/rrole/role_ref2025.1-a, https://example.org/rrole/role_ref2025.1-b
Linked Encoded Rights Expr      : http://example.org/linkedrightsexpression/id986/ref2025.1
Linked Encoded Rights Expr Type : IANA Media Type of ERE (ref2025.1)
Linked Encoded Rights Expr Lang ID: http://example.org/RELids/id4712/ref2025.1
Location Created City           : City (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Created Country Name   : CountryName (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Created Location Id    : Location Id (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Created Location Name  : Location Name (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Created Province State : Province/State (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Created Sublocation    : Sublocation (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Created World Region   : Worldregion (Location created1) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown City             : City (Location shown1) (ref2025.1), City (Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown Country Name     : CountryName (Location shown1) (ref2025.1), CountryName (Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown Location Id      : Location Id 1a(Location shown1) (ref2025.1), Location Id 1b(Location shown1) (ref2025.1), Location Id 2a(Location shown2) (ref2025.1), Location Id 2b(Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown Location Name    : Location Name (Location shown1) (ref2025.1), Location Name (Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown Province State   : Province/State (Location shown1) (ref2025.1), Province/State (Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown Sublocation      : Sublocation (Location shown1) (ref2025.1), Sublocation (Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Location Shown World Region     : Worldregion (Location shown1) (ref2025.1), Worldregion (Location shown2) (ref2025.1)
Organisation In Image Code      : Organisation Code 1 (ref2025.1), Organisation Code 2 (ref2025.1), Organisation Code 3 (ref2025.1)
Organisation In Image Name      : Organisation Name 1 (ref2025.1), Organisation Name 2 (ref2025.1), Organisation Name 3 (ref2025.1)
Person In Image                 : Person Shown 1 (ref2025.1), Person Shown 2 (ref2025.1)
Person In Image Cv Term Cv Id   : http://example.com/cv/test99/ref2025.1
Person In Image Cv Term Id      : http://example.com/cv/test99/code987/ref2025.1
Person In Image Cv Term Name    : Person Characteristic Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Person In Image Cv Term Refined About: http://example.com/cv/refinements987/codeY765/ref2025.1
Person In Image Description     : Person Description 1 (ref2025.1)
Person In Image Id              : http://wikidata.org/item/Q123456789/ref2025.1, http://freebase.com/m/987654321/ref2025.1
Person In Image Name            : Person Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Product In Image Description    : Product Description 1 (ref2025.1)
Product In Image GTIN           : 123456782025.1
Product In Image Product Id     : Product ID 1 (ref2025.1)
Product In Image Name           : Product Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Registry Entry Role             : Registry Entry Role ID 1 (ref2025.1), Registry Entry Role ID 2 (ref2025.1)
Registry Item ID                : Registry Image ID 1 (ref2025.1), Registry Image ID 2 (ref2025.1)
Registry Organisation ID        : Registry Organisation ID 1 (ref2025.1), Registry Organisation ID 2 (ref2025.1)
Creator                         : Creator1 (ref2025.1)
Description                     : The description aka caption (ref2025.1)
Rights                          : Copyright (Notice) 2025.1 IPTC - www.iptc.org  (ref2025.1)
Subject                         : Keyword1ref2025.1, Keyword2ref2025.1, Keyword3ref2025.1
Title                           : The Title (ref2025.1)
Authors Position                : Creator's Job Title  (ref2025.1)
Caption Writer                  : Description Writer (ref2025.1)
City                            : City (Core) (ref2025.1)
Country                         : Country (Core) (ref2025.1)
Credit                          : Credit Line (ref2025.1)
Date Created                    : 2025:11:03 00:25:01+00:00
Headline                        : The Headline (ref2025.1)
Instructions                    : An Instruction (ref2025.1)
Source                          : Source (ref2025.1)
State                           : Province/State(Core)(ref2025.1)
Transmission Reference          : Job Id (ref2025.1)
Copyright Owner ID              : Copyright Owner Id 1 (ref2025.1), Copyright Owner Id 2 (ref2025.1)
Copyright Owner Name            : Copyright Owner Name 1 (ref2025.1), Copyright Owner Name 2 (ref2025.1)
Image Creator ID                : Image Creator Id 1 (ref2025.1)
Image Creator Name              : Image Creator Name 1 (ref2025.1)
Image Creator Image ID          : Image Creator Image ID (ref2025.1)
Image Supplier ID               : Image Supplier Id (ref2025.1)
Image Supplier Name             : Image Supplier Name (ref2025.1)
Image Supplier Image ID         : Image Supplier Image ID (ref2025.1)
Licensor City                   : Licensor City 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor City 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Country                : Licensor Country 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Country 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Email                  : Licensor Email 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Email 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Extended Address       : Licensor Ext Addr 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Ext Addr 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor ID                     : Licensor ID 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor ID 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Name                   : Licensor Name 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Name 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Postal Code            : Licensor Postcode 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Postcode 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Region                 : Licensor Region 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Region 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Street Address         : Licensor Street Addr 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Street Addr 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Telephone 1            : Licensor Phone1 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Phone1 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor Telephone 2            : Licensor Phone2 1 (ref2025.1), Licensor Phone2 2 (ref2025.1)
Licensor URL                    : https://example.com/LicensorURL_1_ref2025.1, https://example.com/LicensorURL_2_ref2025.1
Model Release ID                : Model Release ID 1 (ref2025.1), Model Release ID 2 (ref2025.1)
Property Release ID             : Property Release ID 1 (ref2025.1), Property Release ID 2 (ref2025.1)
Usage Terms                     : Rights Usage Terms (ref2025.1)
Web Statement                   : https://example.com/WebStatementOfRights/ref2025.1
Comment                         : IPTC Photo Metadata Standard 2025.1 reference image file - initial release 0, as of 2025-11-03
Date/Time Original              : 2025:11:03 00:25:01+00:00
Date/Time Created               : 2025:11:03 00:25:01+00:00

Is it possible to get this information to show in the metadata editor? I’ve adjusted the metadata settings in an attempt to show at least some of it:

but the metadata editor doesn’t contain any information:

Any advice appreciated.

rvietor · April 11, 2026, 10:40am

A program is not required by any standard to read all possible metadata. If a program isn’t designed to use certain fields, they won’t be read, nor stored. The only obligation the standards impose is that unrecognised fields are neither changed nor deleted, but that concerns the original file. There is no obligation for e.g. darktable to copy unrecognised fields from the original to an exported image.

Darktable isn’t designed to read IPTC fields when importing images. Thus the fields will stay empty. To change that, the program code and database schema will have to be changed. And IPTC has a lot of different fields…

Keep in mind that anyone can add extra metadata fields to a sidecar file. It’s unreasonable to expect a random program to be ready to read whatever someone wants to throw at it. (Although technically that would be possible.) Case in point: not all edit instructions from LR aren’t read by darktable.

wpferguson · April 11, 2026, 3:49pm

Do you mean get all the fields to appear as choices?

If so, you would have to raise an issue at https://github.com/darktable-org/issues and provide the information you want added.

Or, do you mean automatically have the fields populated from the image data?

That would probably require a Lua script, but I’m not sure how useful it would be. I did a quick test of several different raw file formats and found none included IPTC metadata.

g-man · April 11, 2026, 4:09pm

The metadata setup your did is for export. You can populate those fields so they are included with your exported image. They are not for import.

sugarbravo · April 11, 2026, 4:51pm

There probably isn’t much if at all IPTC (or XMP) metadata in RAW files (Exif — yes, but it’s mostly technical data). So darktable, being a RAW processor, probably doesn’t worry much about checking whether, by any chance, there is any IPTC present in RAW. Until now I haven’t checked, what is being read. I wanted to add and write some basic IPTC and XMP in exported images. So I have metadata editor configured for title, description, creator, data mining, credit line and alike fields. If the IPTC 2025 reference image is opened in darktable, it turns out it does read some XMP fields:

I did not want to have too many repeating fields to fill with data, so corresponding IPTC fields are populated during export. Here is my export module metadata preferences (XMP values added in metadata editor are copied to corresponding Exif and IPTC):

gwalker_474 · April 11, 2026, 8:03pm

Thanks for the responses. They have prompted me to think through more fully what I am trying to do, which I think probably boils down to adding IPTC data to imported files. I had thought it would be useful if IPTC information embedded in an image (e.g. using exiftool) could be imported by Darktable, but on further reflection that probably wouldn’t be so helpful. I’ll look more carefully at the exisiting options for exporting IPTC data and see if they include the fields I need. Thanks again for the responses.