Does Instagram strip EXIF data?
Photos downloaded directly from Instagram won‘t work with PixelPeeper, because they don‘t contain EXIF data. Instagram strips it to save up on bandwidth (metadata makes files bigger) and to address serious privacy concerns: photos taken with smartphones usually contain the exact location they were taken at.
So, there‘s no way to get EXIF metadata directly from Instagram, but there are a few tricks and workarounds you can try. For example: if the author has a website, there‘s a chance they upload the same photos there as well — and you have a much bigger chance finding original photos with metadata on their website.
Use Google Image Search
Your best bet is to use Google Lens (Search by image) to find different versions of the photo you want to check.
When you’re on instagram (website, not the app), download the photo you’re interested in (the link is hidden in the source code), or simply take a screenshot of it and save it on your desktop.
Next, go to Google Lens, click on the “Search by Image” icon and upload the file.
Click on “Search by Image” and Google will show you different websites where this (or similar) photo is published. Follow the links and check the images you find on PixelPeeper.
More workarounds to find photos with EXIF data
For more details, tips and tricks, see How to Find Photos with EXIF data.