How to add borders to photos without losing HDR or EXIF data

Add the border and keep the details you need

1. Start with the original photo. Choose a source that already contains the HDR information and camera details you want to keep. In Photos, open the original and swipe up or tap Info to check its camera information and location.
2. Choose the frame. Open the photo in Simple Border. Choose Original for a frame around the existing shape, or select a target ratio such as square or 4:5. Set the border color and width.
3. Keep HDR enabled. For a supported HDR photo, leave HDR enabled in the editor. If you prefer photos without HDR, you can turn it off by enabling Always save as SDR in Settings or tapping the HDR pill in the editor.
4. Save and check the export. Save the bordered photo and compare it with the original. Inspect camera details and location in Photos, then compare highlights in an HDR-capable viewer on the same display. Check the file received by the destination app as well.

On Mac, the same HDR/SDR choice applies. Use Photos' Info window to compare the source and saved photo. For a fuller introduction to choosing ratios and colors, see the iPhone border guide.

HDR, EXIF, and resolution mean different things

HDR: how highlights are displayed

High dynamic range can show bright skies, reflections, and lights beyond the normal SDR range on a compatible display. HDR image data and a viewer that supports it both matter. Some photos carry an SDR image plus additional HDR gain-map information.

EXIF: information about the photograph

Camera model, lens, exposure settings, and capture time describe how the photo was made. GPS fields can record where it was taken. Keeping these fields does not establish that the image is still HDR.

Resolution: the pixel dimensions

A border adds canvas around the photo, so the finished file can have larger dimensions. Keeping pixel dimensions is separate from keeping HDR or metadata, and does not prove that a newly encoded file is lossless.

For the underlying HDR format behavior, see Apple's HDR image overview.

A real HDR export from Simple Border

This iPhone 13 photo was framed and exported with Simple Border. The developer visually checked its HDR appearance on a MacBook screen and an iPhone on October 14, 2026.

Camera

iPhone 13

Framed export

3395 × 4244 pixels

Full-size file

JPEG, 6.2 MB

HDR gain map

Present in the export

Visual check

MacBook and iPhone

Download full-size HDR photo · 6.2 MB

If HDR does not appear in your browser, download the original JPEG and open it in Photos on iPhone or Mac, or another HDR-capable viewer on a compatible display.

The preview is about 138 KB in HDR AVIF format, with a 350 KB gain-map JPEG fallback. The unchanged 6.2 MB export downloads only when you choose it.

The web preview was resized and re-encoded from the export's image and HDR gain map. This is one exported photo and a visual check by the developer, rather than a controlled comparison with the original capture. App build, viewer versions, and exact display models were not recorded.

A real photo export: dimensions and metadata

In our August 2026 comparison, we used a 2422 × 3633 image from a Sony ZV-E10 RAW workflow and requested a 4:5 frame with a 5% white border. The recorded Simple Border export kept camera metadata and location.

Source image

2422 × 3633 pixels

Framed export

3059 × 3824 pixels

Recorded file size

1.1 MB

Camera metadata

Kept

Location

Kept

HDR

Not measured in this test

Read the six-app comparison and test method for the recorded measurements.

This is one input and one recorded export. The published test did not record app build numbers, the device model, or the OS version. Use your own source photo to verify the result for your workflow.

Keep your original RAW or camera file as well as the bordered copy. A framed image is a new export; its larger canvas does not replace the original capture.

Check the saved photo before sending it

Check camera details and location

On iPhone, open the original in Photos and swipe up or tap Info. Note the camera, lens, capture time, and location that are available. Open the saved bordered photo and compare the same fields. On Mac, select the photo in Photos and click Info.

Only expect fields that are present in the source. A photo without GPS data cannot retain a recorded location that was never there. A caption or a manually edited library date is also different from embedded camera metadata.

Check HDR on the same display

Compare the original and export in an HDR-capable viewer on the same display, with the same viewing conditions. If the bordered copy looks flat, first check the HDR choice in Simple Border and the Always save as SDR setting. Then check whether the viewing app supports HDR. Visual comparison is a useful first check, not a file-format certification.

Check the file after sharing

Inspect the copy received through your intended sharing route, not just the copy in Photos. The receiving app or service may convert the image or remove metadata. For a consistent SDR version, choose SDR explicitly in Simple Border and check that saved version before posting.

If you prefer to omit location, Photos' share options let you turn off Location for sharing. Keeping camera settings and choosing whether to share GPS information are separate decisions.

Sources and related guides

• Simple Border 8.7.0 release notes: HDR export controls on iOS and macOS.
• Our photo export comparison: the recorded metadata and resolution example.
• Apple: see photo and video information on iPhone.
• Apple: manage location metadata in Photos.
• Apple: HDR image behavior and gain maps.

For a particular look, follow the black-border guide. For a social post, choose a canvas with the Instagram format guide.