PicturePin records a GPS track on your iPhone, then adds the right location to your camera photos by matching their capture time.
It's built for photographers shooting on a real camera (DSLR, mirrorless, film scans) that has no GPS of its own. You record a track on your phone while you shoot, then import the JPEGs later and PicturePin writes the GPS coordinates into each photo's EXIF metadata — all on your device, with no account and no internet connection.
You can export your recorded GPS track as a GPX or KML file using the export buttons in the app. PicturePin opens the iOS share sheet so you choose where it goes — Files, AirDrop, Mail, or any other app. GPX works with Lightroom, Google Earth, and most mapping tools; KML opens directly in Google Earth.
No. PicturePin has no accounts, no sign-up, and no servers. It works completely offline — even in airplane mode or with no signal — because everything happens on your device.
To keep recording your track when your screen is locked or you're using your camera and another app. Without "Always" access, iOS would pause tracking the moment you leave the app, leaving gaps in your track. PicturePin only ever stores location locally — it is never uploaded.
Tagging matches your photo's capture time to your GPS track, so almost every issue comes down to time:
JPEG files (the standard output of nearly every camera, plus film-scan exports). RAW files are not written to directly.
PicturePin never modifies or deletes your originals. For every photo you tag — whether it came from an SD/CF card or your Photos library — it writes a brand-new copy with the location added. Depending on your choices in the settings tab, that copy is saved to Files → On My iPhone → PicturePin Tagged and/or added to your Photos library as a new photo, and you can share it (AirDrop, Mail, etc.) from there. Your source files are only ever read, never changed.
Continuous GPS does use power, but PicturePin is built to be efficient and shows you a live battery drain rate and estimated remaining recording time on the pin It tab. To stretch a session: keep the screen off, avoid Low Power Mode (which can throttle background updates), and stop the track when you finish shooting.
Yes. PicturePin includes a home-screen widget with start/stop. Tapping it opens the app and toggles recording. Add it the usual iOS way: long-press your home screen → + → search "PicturePin" → add the widget.
They're local reminders (never sent over the internet) that let you know GPS recording is still running, so you don't accidentally leave it on and drain your battery. You can adjust or silence them in the settings tab, or turn them off entirely in iOS Settings → Notifications → PicturePin.
Tap CLEAR TRACK in the app to remove the recorded GPS track, or delete the app from your iPhone to remove everything it stores (track, history, settings, cached files). There's no server-side copy, because there's no server.
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Tracking stopped on its own | Check that Location is set to Always (Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → PicturePin), turn off Low Power Mode, and check the auto-stop setting in the settings tab. |
| No reminder notifications appear | Enable them in iOS Settings → Notifications → PicturePin, and check the reminder interval in the settings tab. |
| Photos won't save back to my library | Grant Photos add/write access in Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos → PicturePin. |
| Can't find my tagged photos | Tagged photos are saved as new copies — check Files → On My iPhone → PicturePin Tagged and/or your Photos library, depending on what you enabled in the settings tab. Your originals are left exactly as they were. |
| Widget isn't responding | Remove and re-add the widget. Tapping it should open PicturePin and toggle recording. |
| Something else | Email us at ccdpin@gmail.com with your iPhone model and iOS version and we'll help. |
PicturePin does not collect, transmit, share, or sell any of your data. Everything stays on your iPhone, and the app is blocked at the iOS level from making any network connection. Full details are in the Privacy Policy, and our commitment to assistive technology is in the Accessibility Statement.
PicturePin is designed to be safe with your files: it never modifies or deletes your originals and always saves a separate tagged copy. That said, as with any software, we recommend you keep your own backups of important photos before tagging — good practice with any tool that handles your library.
PicturePin is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind, and is used at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the developer is not liable for any loss of or damage to data or photos arising from use of the app. Your use is also governed by Apple's standard Licensed Application End User License Agreement.
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