# How do I export X archive photos with the real date?

> Files in the archive’s tweets_media folder are commonly named TWEETID-MEDIAID, and the post date lives in tweets.js, not in the files. TweetArchive matches each file to its post, then exports a ZIP where every file is named and dated with the post’s created_at time. JPEGs without EXIF get DateTimeOriginal set.

## Step by step

1. **Open your archive ZIP in TweetArchive.** It indexes tweets_media and matches files to posts.
2. **Check the Media tab.** Each tile shows the post date. Files with no matching post are listed separately.
3. **Export photos & videos.** In Export, download the dated ZIP: photos-by-date/YEAR/DATE_TIME_filename.
4. **Unzip and import.** Most unzip tools restore each file’s modified date from the ZIP. Import into your photo app.

Open the tool: https://tweetarchive.fyi/#app (runs in your browser; the ZIP is not uploaded; free preview, $19 one-time for everything).

## Honest limitations

- There is no official public specification of the archive format that we could read; TweetArchive follows what several independent parsers document and discovers file names instead of assuming one layout.
- Some archives omit @usernames for DM partners; those people appear as a numeric user ID.
- TweetArchive is not affiliated with X Corp. and does not log in to X for you.
- EXIF dates are written only to JPEGs that have no EXIF block; PNG, GIF, and video files keep their bytes and get the date in the filename, ZIP timestamp, and media-dates.csv.
- Older archives may name media files differently (for example, by a hash of the original URL); TweetArchive tries to match those too.

## FAQ

### Why do my archive photos show today’s date?

Files usually carry the date they were written into the download, not the date you posted them. The post date is in tweets.js.

### Does it work for videos?

Yes, videos are matched and dated the same way, in the filename and ZIP timestamp.

### Will Google Photos or Apple Photos use the date?

Photo apps generally read EXIF dates first and file dates second. JPEGs get EXIF dates; other files rely on the file date. Results vary by app.

### What does the free preview include?

The gallery preview and a sample export of 10 files. Pro exports all of them.

## Related

- [How to download your official X archive](https://tweetarchive.fyi/download-x-archive.md)
- [Privacy](https://tweetarchive.fyi/privacy/)

## Sources

- [The Verge: How to download an archive of your Twitter data (updated Nov 14, 2022)](https://www.theverge.com/23453703/twitter-archive-download-how-to-tweets)
- [Ars Technica: How to download a backup copy of your Twitter data (Oct 28, 2022)](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/10/how-to-download-a-backup-copy-of-your-twitter-data-or-deactivate-your-account/)
- [twitter-archive-parser by Tim Hutton (GitHub)](https://github.com/timhutton/twitter-archive-parser)
- [alkihis/twitter-archive-reader: file structures](https://github.com/alkihis/twitter-archive-reader)

TweetArchive is an independent tool made by Cedano Labs LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by X Corp. “X” and “Twitter” are trademarks of X Corp., used here only to describe the archive format the tool reads. TweetArchive is not a forensic lab or a legal service, and its exports are not certified evidence.