TweetArchiveGuide
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
Open your archive ZIP in TweetArchive
It indexes tweets_media and matches files to posts.
Check the Media tab
Each tile shows the post date. Files with no matching post are listed separately.
Export photos & videos
In Export, download the dated ZIP: photos-by-date/YEAR/DATE_TIME_filename.
Unzip and import
Most unzip tools restore each file’s modified date from the ZIP. Import into your photo app.
Open my ZIP in the browser
TweetArchive reads your X archive on your device. Nothing is uploaded. Free preview; $19 once for everything.
Open my archive ZIPHonest 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.
Frequently asked questions
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
- Privacy: what TweetArchive does and doesn’t see
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- How do I search X archive DMs as evidence?
- How do I export my X archive to PDF?
- My X archive is several GB and won’t open on Windows
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- How do I download my official X archive?
- What is tweets.js and why isn’t it JSON?
- How do I convert my X archive to CSV or JSON?
- How do I view threads in my X archive?