很少有人知道，对于存储在您计算机上的每个文件，都有一组与之关联的元数据，这些元数据会根据其类型提供有关其来源、作者和其他重要细节的信息。在本文中，我将讨论元数据，它是什么以及如何使用它。然后，我将介绍如何为您的文件添加、删除和维护元数据。这些过程适用于任何版本的Windows。
什么是文件元数据？
元数据(Metadata)是存储在几乎任何类型的文件中的信息。它可以包括您的姓名、您的公司或组织(company or organization)的名称、您的计算机名称、您保存文件的网络服务器或驱动器(network server or drive)的名称、个性化评论以及以前文档作者、修订或版本的姓名和时间.
根据具体情况，这些细节可能对您有用或有害。例如，如果您想跟踪文件的不同作者，这可能会很好，但如果您希望隐藏文件的不同作者，则可能会很糟糕。如果您从事法律事务或只是希望维护隐私，请谨慎删除尽可能多的数据，因为如果您与其他人共享文件的副本，元数据将跟随文件。
元数据也很有帮助，尤其是在Windows和其他操作系统中进行搜索时。例如，如果您的图片集合具有维护良好的元数据，那么很容易搜索并找到您在特定日期的特定位置使用特定相机拍摄的特定照片。
为了简化概念，您可以将元数据视为文件的描述。描述可以是任何东西，它可以包括描述文件的各种数据：文件的类型、大小、创建者、时间、内容等。
如何在Windows中添加和编辑元数据(Windows)
大多数文件都有某种元数据，但如果不使用某种特殊的第三方软件，通常很难更改它。但是，Microsoft Office文件（例如由Microsoft Word、Excel和Powerpoint制作的文件）具有可以很容易地更改的元数据字段。首先(First)，要访问和查看(access and view)其中一个文件的元数据，请右键单击或(click or press)按住它。转到右键单击菜单的底部，然后单击(menu and click)或点击属性(Properties)。您也可以选择文件，然后按键盘上的ALT+Enter
这将显示文件的属性，但继续并转到“详细信息(Details)”选项卡以了解元数据的本质。进入“详细信息(Details)”选项卡后，您将能够滚动浏览有关该文件的大量数据：作者、创建或修改时间，甚至其中有多少字。
其中一些字段是您可以编辑的，尽管其中许多是一成不变的。公平地说，许多无法编辑的字段是诸如字数和页数(word and page count)或文件创建日期之类的硬事实。但是，可以编辑几个，例如标题、主题、标签、类别、评论和作者字段。为此，只需单击或点击您要编辑和键入的字段右侧。如果您希望这些字段为空白，请删除其中写入的任何内容。完成后，点击“属性(Properties)”窗口底部的“确定” 。
如何在Windows中从文件中删除元数据(Windows)
如果您只想删除所有可以删除的元数据，有一种简单的方法可以做到这一点。转到详细信息(Details)选项卡的底部，然后单击或点击“删除属性和个人信息”。("Remove Properties and Personal Information.")
将显示“删除属性(Remove Properties)”窗口。它将为您提供两个从文件中删除元数据的选项：第一个选项将创建一个文件副本，其中删除了所有可能的属性，而第二个选项允许您选择要从文件元数据中删除的属性。选择(Choose)您要执行的操作，如果您选择第二个选项，请选中您要删除的特定数据的复选框。请记住，如果您使用第二个选项，您将永久丢失原始文件中的元数据，因此请小心数据是否对您有价值。
要应用您的设置，请单击或点击“删除属性(Remove Properties)”窗口中的“确定”，然后在文件的“属性(Properties)”窗口中。
图片的元数据
图片和其他类型的图像文件具有特别有趣的数据，包括各种照片特定字段，包括照片实际拍摄时间的时间戳。这种特殊的元数据对于跟踪和了解可能至关重要，以防万一您不希望人们知道您在何时何地拍照。可以按照前面为Microsoft Office(Microsoft Office)文件描述的方式从大多数图像格式中删除此元数据。
图像文件元数据中包含的其他很酷的信息包括用于拍摄的相机的详细信息以及所使用的设置：ISO 速度(ISO speed)、曝光时间(exposure time)、焦距、闪光灯模式(flash mode)等。这对于跟踪目的或简单地将拍摄的照片质量与拍摄它们的相机的质量进行比较非常有用。
如何维护元数据
文件的元数据可以通过您用于创建它的工具进行更新。对于文档，您可以使用Microsoft Office添加您希望与文档一起存储的信息，例如作者。对于图片，事情就更容易了。您可以使用照片库(Photo Gallery)之类的工具，并将有用的元数据添加到您的图片集。我们有一些很好的教程展示了可以添加哪些数据以及如何添加：
- 如何使用Windows 照片库在(Windows Photo Gallery)照片中标记人物(Photos)
- 如何在Windows 照片库中(Windows Photo Gallery)编辑图片的标签和标题(Edit Tags & Captions)
- 如何评价和标记(Rate and Flag Images)Windows 照片库(Windows Photo Gallery)中的图像
最后但同样重要的是，您可以通过修改文件的属性来更新文件的元数据，如本指南前面的部分所示。
元数据对您来说有什么价值？
如果您希望保留有关特定文件的详细信息，元数据可能会很有用。但是，并不是每个人都希望共享这些详细信息，因此在将文件发送给其他人之前，请注意文件中存储了哪些信息。您对元数据持何立场？您是希望将其从您的大部分文件中删除，还是要存储并增强它？
Simple questions: What is a file's metadata and how to edit it in Windows?
Very few people are аware that for each file stored on your computer there is a set of metadаta associated with it, that gives information about its source, authоr and other important details, depending on its type. In this article I am going to discuss metadata, what it is and how it can be used. Then, I will cover how to add, remove and maintain metadata for your files. The procedures apply to any version of Windows.
What is file metadata?
Metadata is information stored in almost any type of file. It can include your name, your company or organization's name, the name of your computer, the name of the network server or drive where you saved the file, personalized comments and the names and times of previous document authors, revisions, or versions.
These details could be useful or detrimental to you depending on the situation. For example, if you want to track the different authors of a file, it could be good, though if you wish to conceal the different authors of a file it could be bad. If you are working in legal matters or simply wish to maintain privacy, removing as much data as possible can be prudent, as metadata will follow the file if you share a copy of it with someone else.
Metadata can also be very helpful, especially when making searches in Windows and other operating systems. For example, if your collection of pictures has well maintained metadata, then it is very easy to search and find a certain picture you took, at a certain location on a very specific day, with a specific camera.
To simplify the concept, you can think of metadata as a file's description. The description can be anything and it can includes all kinds of data that describe the file: its type, its size, who created it, when, with what, and so on.
How to add and edit metadata, in Windows
Most files have some sort of metadata, but it is often difficult to alter it without using some sort of special third-party software. However, Microsoft Office files, such as those made by Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint have metadata fields that can be altered pretty easily. First of all, to access and view the metadata of one of these files, right click or press and hold on it. Go to the bottom of the right-click menu and click or tap Properties. You can also select the file and then press ALT+Enter on your keyboard.
This will bring up the properties of the file, but go ahead and go to the Details tab to get into the nitty-gritty of the metadata. Once on the Details tab, you will be able to scroll through a plethora of data about the file: everything from who authored it, when it was created or modified, or even how many words are in it.
Some of these fields are something you can edit, though many of them are set in stone. To be fair though, a lot of the fields that can't be edited, are those hard facts like the word and page count or the day the file was created. Several can be edited, however, such as the title, subject, tags, categories, comments, and authors fields. To do this, simply click or tap to the right of the field you wish to edit and type. If you'd rather these fields were blank, delete whatever is written in them. When you are done, hit OK at the bottom of the Properties window.
How to remove metadata from a file, in Windows
If you just want to remove all of the metadata that you can, there is a simple way to do this. Go to the bottom of the Details tab and click or tap "Remove Properties and Personal Information."
The Remove Properties window is shown. It will give you two options to remove metadata from the file: the first one will create a copy of the file with all possible properties removed, while the second allows you to pick and choose what properties you wish to remove from the file's metadata. Choose which you'd like to do, and check the boxes of the specific data you'd like to remove if you choose the second option. Keep in mind that if you use the second option you will lose the metadata permanently on the original file, so be careful if the data is valuable to you.
To apply your settings, click or tap OK in the Remove Properties window and then in the file's Properties window.
Metadata for pictures
Pictures and other types of image files have particularly interesting data on them, including a variety of photo specific fields including a timestamp of when the photo was actually taken. This particular bit of metadata could be crucial to track and be aware of, just in case you don't want people knowing where and when you took a photograph. This metadata can be removed from most image formats in the fashion previously described for Microsoft Office files.
Other cool information included in the metadata for image files includes the details of the camera used to take it and the settings that were used: the ISO speed, the exposure time, focal length, the flash mode and so on. This can be great for tracking purposes or simply comparing the quality of pictures taken to the quality of the camera that took them.
How to maintain metadata
The metadata of a file can be updated from the tool you used to create it. For documents you can use Microsoft Office to add information that you would like to be stored with your documents, such as the author for example. For pictures, things are even easier. You can use a tool like Photo Gallery and add useful metadata to your pictures collection. We have some good tutorials showing what data can be added and how:
Last but not least, you can update the metadata of a file by modifying its properties, as shown in the previous sections of this guide.
What is metadata worth to you?
Metadata can be useful if you wish to keep around details about specific files. However, not everyone wants those sorts of details to be shared, so be vigilant about what information is stored on a file before you send it to someone else. Where do you stand regarding metadata? Do you want it removed from most of your files or you want to store it and enhance it?
