file explorer date created vs media created

Hi Shaun Bacon

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Happy New Year! 🎄 Wishing you a happy holiday season and a new year filled with peace, happiness and success! ✨

Based on your description, I understand that you want to know what is the difference between “Date Created” and “Media Created” sorting, and I know exactly how you feel!

I'll explain the different aspects for you.

1. Creation date.

The “Creation Date” timestamp reflects when the file was originally created on the device. This means it is the time the file was first saved or transferred to local storage.

This date is consistent unless the file is moved to a different storage location or manipulated in a way that changes its metadata. For example, if you download a file and save it on your computer, the Creation Date will show the timestamp of the download.

It helps to sort the files according to when they were downloaded or copied to the device.

2. Media Created.

The “Media Created” timestamp applies to media files such as images, videos and audio files. The date reflects when the original content was created or recorded and is embedded in the file's metadata. This may include the timestamp set by the camera or recording device when the picture was taken or the video was recorded.

The “Media Created” date can be very different from the “Date Created” because it is based on when the media file was actually created, not when it was transferred to your computer. For example, a photo taken years ago that you download today will have a 'Media Created' date that appears as the date it was taken, not the date it was downloaded.

It is especially useful for organizing or sorting media files by their original creation date, which is critical for archiving or photo management.

3. Why the different order?

Given that the “Creation Date” relates to when the file actually existed on the device, and the “Media Creation” relates to when the content itself was produced, you can understand why sorting by these two options produces different results:

(1) Your most recently downloaded files may all have the same “Creation Date” (today's date), but if they relate to older media, the “Media Created” date will be different.

(2) Media files that “exist” on your computer may retain their original creation date even if they have been copied or downloaded multiple times.

4. Select the correct option.

(1) If your goal is to manage or sort files by the time they were added to your computer, select “Date Created”.

(2) Select “Media Creation” if your goal is to organize your photos or videos according to when they were actually taken or created.

This understanding should help you categorize your files in a way that best suits your needs. If you are dealing with media files and your main concern is their original capture date, then “Media Created” would be the more accurate choice. If you're looking at recently downloaded files and want to see the chronological order in which they arrived on your device, then “Creation Date” is the most appropriate choice.

I sincerely hope that the above information will help you! Please feel free to contact me (Photos related to the question would be great!).

I look forward to hearing back from you. 

Best Regards

Arthur Sheng | Microsoft Community Support Specialist