In the era of AI-generated content and digital manipulation, understanding how to inspect C2PA metadata is essential for journalists, content creators, legal professionals, and anyone concerned about digital authenticity. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about C2PA inspection tools and techniques.
What is C2PA Inspection?
C2PA inspection is the process of examining the detailed provenance information embedded within digital files that follow the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) standard. When you inspect a C2PA file, you're accessing the complete manifest structure that contains:
- Content credentials - Who created the file and when
- Action history - Every edit, transformation, and modification
- Software agents - Tools and applications used in creation
- AI generation markers - Whether AI was involved in creation
- Cryptographic signatures - Digital proof of authenticity
- Assertion data - Additional metadata and claims
Inspecting vs. Verifying
It's important to understand the difference between these two concepts:
- Inspecting means viewing and analyzing the raw C2PA manifest data and metadata structure
- Verifying means validating the cryptographic signatures and confirming the content hasn't been tampered with
Inspection shows you what's in the manifest, while verification confirms whether it's trustworthy. Both are complementary processes.
Why Inspect C2PA Metadata?
Understanding how to inspect C2PA files provides critical benefits across multiple use cases:
Journalism & Media
Verify source material authenticity, trace image origins, and detect manipulated content before publication.
Legal & Forensics
Establish chain of custody for digital evidence, verify document authenticity in litigation.
Creative Professionals
Protect intellectual property, prove ownership, and track unauthorized modifications of your work.
Researchers & Academics
Study C2PA adoption patterns, analyze metadata structures, and develop new verification tools.
Methods to Inspect C2PA Files
There are several approaches to inspecting C2PA metadata, each with different advantages depending on your technical expertise and use case.
1. Online Browser-Based C2PA Inspection Tools
Browser-based tools offer the easiest way to inspect C2PA metadata without installing software. These tools process files entirely in your browser using WebAssembly technology.
C2PA Viewer (This Tool)
Our C2PA Viewer provides full access to raw C2PA manifest data in JSON format, making it ideal for technical analysis and deep inspection.
Key advantages:
- Raw manifest extraction - View complete JSON structure
- Client-side processing - Files never leave your browser
- No registration required - Start inspecting immediately
- Interactive JSON viewer - Expandable tree view for easy navigation
- Structured data display - Author, software, AI usage automatically extracted
Content Credentials Verify (Official Tool)
The official Content Credentials verification tool at verify.contentauthenticity.org provides a user-friendly visual interface for viewing C2PA data.
Important limitation:
- Does NOT show raw C2PA manifest extraction - Only displays processed, human-readable information
- Good for visual inspection but not suitable for technical analysis or debugging
- Cannot access the complete JSON structure or low-level assertion data
Best for: Quick visual checks, sharing verification results with non-technical users
2. Command-Line C2PA Inspection with c2patool
For developers, researchers, and technical users, the c2patool command-line utility offers the most powerful and flexible C2PA inspection capabilities.
c2patool - Official C2PA Command-Line Tool
Repository: github.com/contentauth/c2patool
Key capabilities:
- Extract complete C2PA manifests to JSON files
- Validate cryptographic signatures and chains of trust
- Batch process multiple files for automation
- Create new C2PA manifests and sign content
- Detailed technical output for debugging
Installation: Using Cargo (Rust package manager): cargo install c2patool or download pre-built binaries from GitHub releases.
Basic inspection commands:
Inspect a file and output JSON manifest: c2patool image.jpg --output manifest.json
Show detailed manifest information: c2patool image.jpg --detailed
Best for: Automation, batch processing, technical analysis, CI/CD integration
3. Mobile C2PA Inspection
Mobile users can inspect C2PA metadata using browser-based tools on smartphones and tablets.
- Our C2PA Viewer works on all modern mobile browsers
- Simply upload photos from your device's camera or gallery
- All processing happens locally - no server uploads required
- Touch-optimized interface for easy navigation
Step-by-Step: How to Inspect C2PA Metadata Online
Follow this simple process to inspect C2PA metadata using our browser-based viewer:
Step 1: Access the C2PA Viewer
Navigate to the C2PA Viewer homepage. No registration, downloads, or installation required.
Step 2: Upload Your File
Choose one of these methods:
- Drag and drop the file onto the upload area (desktop only)
- Click "Browse Files" to select from your device
- Try a sample image to see C2PA data in action
Step 3: Wait for Manifest Extraction
The tool will automatically extract the C2PA manifest using WebAssembly. This typically takes 1-3 seconds depending on file size.
Step 4: Inspect the Raw Manifest Data
Once extraction completes, you'll see:
- Complete JSON manifest - Expandable tree view of all C2PA data
- Structured info cards - Author, software, AI usage extracted automatically
- Validation status - Whether cryptographic signatures are valid
- Assertion details - Individual claims and metadata
Step 5: Analyze and Export
Navigate through the JSON structure to find specific information. You can copy the raw JSON for further analysis or documentation.
Privacy Guarantee
All inspection happens entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your files are never uploaded to any server and remain completely private.
Understanding C2PA Inspection Results
When you inspect a C2PA file, here's what the key sections of the manifest tell you:
Active Manifest
The current, most recent C2PA manifest containing the latest content credentials and provenance chain.
Signature Info
Cryptographic signature details including the signing authority, certificate chain, and timestamp.
Actions (c2pa.actions)
Complete history of edits, transformations, and modifications made to the content with timestamps and software details.
AI Training & Data Mining
Indicators of whether AI was used in content creation and whether the content can be used for AI training (c2pa.training-mining assertion).
Validation Status
Array of validation errors or warnings. An empty array indicates the manifest passed all cryptographic checks.
C2PA Inspection Tools Comparison
| Feature | C2PA Viewer | Content Credentials | c2patool (CLI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Manifest Access | Yes | No | Yes |
| Client-Side Processing | Yes | Yes | Local |
| No Installation Required | Yes | Yes | No |
| Batch Processing | No | No | Yes |
| Technical Expertise | Beginner | Beginner | Advanced |
| Best For | Technical analysis, developers, researchers | Visual inspection, non-technical users | Automation, CI/CD, bulk processing |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between inspecting and verifying C2PA files?
Inspecting means viewing the raw manifest data and metadata structure, while verifying means validating the cryptographic signatures and checking authenticity. Inspection shows you what's in the manifest, while verification confirms whether it's trustworthy.
Can I inspect C2PA metadata without uploading files?
Yes! With browser-based tools like C2PA Viewer, all inspection happens client-side in your browser. Files are processed locally using WebAssembly and never uploaded to any server.
Which file formats support C2PA inspection?
Browser tools support JPEG, PNG, WebP, and TIFF. Command-line tools like c2patool support additional formats including MP4, AVI, HEIC, AVIF, and PDF.
Why doesn't the official Content Credentials tool show raw manifests?
The official verify.contentcredentials.org tool is designed for general users and focuses on visual, human-readable presentation. It doesn't expose the raw JSON manifest structure, making it less suitable for technical analysis or debugging.
Is C2PA inspection the same on mobile devices?
Yes, our C2PA Viewer works identically on mobile browsers. Simply upload photos from your device and inspect them using the same interface optimized for touch screens.
Start Inspecting C2PA Files Today
Now that you understand how to inspect C2PA metadata, put your knowledge into practice. Use our free browser-based C2PA Viewer to analyze digital content authenticity and access complete raw manifest data.