For video - the "capture date" is often the date I imported the video and not the day I shot the video. Is there a way to change it to day I shot it?

[jclin10]

In my video files, Lightroom often arranges my videos on the basis of when they were imported, not when they were shot. Is there a way to fix this?

[Ian Lyons]

Unfortunately, Lightroom's handling of dates, etc leaves a lot to be desired. The answer to this link post might provide some explanation  to the problem your experiencing Lightroom 6.3 changes video time when importing

[jclin10]

Thanks, this is helpful.

So, is there any way for me to edit/fix the times so that they aren't the date of download, but the date when it was actually shot?

[johnrellis]

Use the Metadata > Edit Capture Time command to change the capture time of one or more videos.

[jclin10]

Thanks!

Is there a way, through LR, that I can find the metadata for when the video was originally taken? Or do I need to use some external app to figure that out?

[johnrellis]

Use View > View Options to put the capture date under thumbnails in Library grid mode.  Also open the Metadata panel to look at the capture date there.  Usually one or the other is correct.

[jclin10]

Thanks

Under EXIF data, it shows Date Time Digitized and Date Time, but those just seem to reflect when the videos were imported. They don't show when the video was originally shot (which I can find using Photos, but not Lightroom). Any ideas on how I can find that data using LR?

[johnrellis · Accepted solution]

LR often has problems with video capture times and can behave inconsistently.  To see if you're encountering this bug, use the View > View Options command to show the capture time under thumbnails in Library grid view. Then check the time under the thumbnail with the capture time shown in the Metadata panel:

If they don't match, you've tripped over the bug. See this post for a workaround; Lightroom: Still inconsistent capture date/time for photos and videos | Photoshop Family Customer Co... . Please add your me-too vote to that bug report to make it a little more likely Adobe might fix the bug sometime before the next ice age.

[jclin10]

Thanks!

So, the capture time/date under the thumbnail is the same as the capture time/date in the metadata, though I know that that time is incorrect. The time/date is when I imported it, not when I actually took the video. It also seems to be the same time under Date Time in the EXIF section.

So, what does that mean? Does that mean its a bug and LR somehow didn't read the original time/date when the video was shot? Or, is the correct time/date when the video was shot somewhere inside all of the metadata that I can toggle "on" somehow?

(Sorry I'm such a horrible newbie...I switched from Aperture a couple months ago and I'm still trying to find my way around)

[AntonioEdwardo]

It's only 4.5 years later haha, but I am having a similar problem. My drone video files are all showing up with a "Capture Date" of Jan 1, 1904 in Lightroom Classic. The "Date" in Windows explorer matches the actual date/time I shot the video.  In Windows Explorer the "Date Modified" matches the actual capture date as well. 

Is there a way to display the Date Modifed in LR?

[dj_paige]

It's only 4.5 years later haha, but I am having a similar problem.

By @AntonioEdwardo

Don't append "similar" problems into 4 year old threads. Start a new thread. Explain the problem in detail, from the beginning, leaving nothing out.

[Treviso1996]

I found a very simple fix today when encountering the same issue. I arranged the files I imported from my iPhone by file type, then selected only the video files, then went up to "metedata > Edit capture time > change files creation date." They now have the correct capture time and when I reorgaize my files by creaon date they are in the cotrrect order. 

[Treviso1996]

Correction, as this forum doesn't allow for editing an already posted comment: "metedata > Edit capture time > change files to creation date." 

[defaultsgaxtp8f2y5f]

Worked like a charm👍 I actually went to my catalog and searched by .mp4 and hit select all. Then used your method. Now all my video files are in chronological order with my photos. Thanks for the tip!

[michaelp29184910]

Sadly in 2025 this is STILL and issue. Thanks for the tip but unfortunatly your method didn't work because LR is changing the capture time to the import date when it imports. 

[nikunj.m]

Hey Michael, would you mind sharing more info like the version of Lightroom Classic, the operating system you're working on, and the camera you're using to shoot the videos? Also, is this happening with all video files? 

Thanks,
Nikunj

[michaelp29184910]

Hi, and thanks for your reply.
So, it's a lot of old family videos done on older point and shoot cameras going back 16+ years. I have just checked a video I uploaded with some photos taken earlier in the month on my Canon RP, and the date and time is correct on that.

The older files do show the correct date and time under "Date created" on Windows Explorer. So I'm not sure why LR isn't reading that as the file's creation time/date. I am using the up-to-date LR Classic and am an Adobe subscriber.

I'd like to add that I've put off sorting these video files for a few years now because of this issue and the videos have just sat on my HD unwatched. Also I do not have the same issue with photos taken on those older cameras.

If you need any more info please feel free to ask 🙂

[michaelp29184910]

It's AVI and MPG files. MOV and MP4 files seem okay

[michaelp29184910]

And your free converter doesn't work Adobe. Funny how I can't rate it a 1 star for this because you have to use the coverter to do it