Exif Thumbnail Adder APK

Exif Thumbnail Adder

Overview

• Exif Thumbnail Adder is an Android application that scans your device for JPEG images and automatically generates thumbnails for any pictures that don’t already include one.

• These thumbnails are embedded directly into each image’s EXIF metadata.

• The app supports Android Oreo (version 8, SDK 26) and newer.

• If you encounter any problems, please report them here:

+ https://github.com/tenzap/exif-thumbnail-adder/issues

• For technical background, known limitations, and contribution details, visit the project homepage.

Why This App Exists

• Some smartphones create photos without embedded thumbnails.

• When transferring these pictures to Windows or another system using MTP or PTP protocols, no preview image appears in tools like the Photos import wizard or Windows Explorer.

This issue can occur for two main reasons:

• The original photo file simply doesn’t contain a thumbnail.

• The thumbnail exists, but certain EXIF tags are missing or misconfigured, making it unreadable by the importing system.

Exif Thumbnail Adder addresses both problems by generating or repairing the missing thumbnail data.

Key Features

• Automatically adds thumbnails to JPEG files that lack them.

• Uses the Lanczos downsampling algorithm (via FFmpeg’s swscale library) for high-quality results.

• Allows you to choose one or more folders to scan, from internal or external storage (e.g., DCIM, Pictures).

• Option to exclude specific subfolders during scans.

• Preserves original file timestamps.

• Provides a detailed processing log.

• Synchronizes deletions between source and backup directories, ensuring backups remain consistent.

• Follows cautious defaults, such as creating backups and skipping damaged files.

• Can be installed on either internal or external storage.

• Default EXIF handler: Exiv2.

• Optional EXIF libraries include Android-Exif-Extended, libexif, and pixymeta-android (see the project page for pros and cons).

Customizable Settings

• Rotate the generated thumbnail.

• Replace existing embedded thumbnails if desired.

• Automatically back up original images; backups are never overwritten once created.

• Option to skip or include images with malformed EXIF tags.

• Choose whether to overwrite the original file or save the modified image to a different folder.

Permissions Required

• WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, READ_MEDIA_IMAGES

• MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

• ACCESS_MEDIA_LOCATION

• POST_NOTIFICATIONS

For permission details and rationale, consult the project homepage.

Installation

1. Requirements

• Android 8.0 (Oreo, SDK 26) or newer

• Tested up to Android 11

2. How to Install

• Download the app via F-Droid: F-Droid page

• Or get the APK from the releases page

License

• Licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).

• See the “COPYING” file on the project homepage for full details.

FAQ

Q: Why would I even need thumbnails in my photos?

A: Some phones skip embedding thumbnails in photos, which can cause issues when you transfer them to your computer. Without a thumbnail, Windows or other systems might not show a preview, making it hard to organize or import pictures. This app fixes that by adding or repairing thumbnails right inside the image file.

Q: Does Exif Thumbnail Adder actually modify my photos?

A: Yes, but only in a controlled way. It edits the EXIF section of your JPEGs to add a thumbnail. The main image data stays untouched. Plus, the app can back up the original file before making any changes, so you can always revert if needed.

Q: Will it change the quality or size of my photos?

A: Nope, your original photo remains exactly the same in terms of resolution and quality. Only the embedded thumbnail is added or replaced, and that’s just a much smaller, low-resolution version used for previewing.

Version History

v1.0.1——28 Oct 2025

Add thumbnail in the EXIF tag of JPEG picture not having one (batch processing) Download the latest version of Exif Thumbnail Adder to enjoy new features and updates immediately!

*1.0.1

- Add support for Android 15 (& set targetSdk to 35) & update toolchain

- exiv2: update to 0.28.5 & expat to 2.7.1

- libexif: update to 0.6.25

- update all gradle dependencies to latest version (except ExifInterface)

- Note: if you run on AOSP or on devices without Google apps, you may loose the GPS information inside your files (at least on emulator image for Android 13). See project homepage for more information.

*1.0.0

- Add support for Android 14 (& set targetSdk to 34)

- exiv2: update to 0.28.2 & expat to 2.6.2

- update all gradle dependencies to latest version

- add spanish translation (thanks to jose-454 & l.a.r.monteon1989)

- Note: if you run on AOSP or on devices without Google apps, you may loose the GPS information inside your files (at least on emulator image for Android 13). See project homepage for more information.

*0.9.19

- libexif: skip processing of pictures having XMP metadata

- pixymeta: merge fix from upstream for InterOpIFD

- pixymeta: skip processing of pictures having maker notes

- display warning on main window when libexif or pixymeta are used, & add link to read the notes.

- update labels of permission requests.

- update detection of missing mandatory tags

- Reminder: translate the app on crowdin https://crowdin.com/project/exif-thumbnail-adder