Determining Image Time From Conflicting Timestamps | Generated by AI
You’re asking how to figure out “what time” an image (e.g., a screenshot that a teammate uploaded to Confluence) really represents, given all the timestamps and potential differences in timezones. Let me break down the situation:
Sources of timestamps in your scenario:
- Image metadata (EXIF / file metadata)
- If it’s an image file (like .jpg, .png, etc.), it may include metadata written by the OS or application at the time it was saved.
- Screenshots on Windows typically don’t carry rich EXIF data (like from cameras), but the file creation/modification times on the filesystem do exist.
- Confluence upload timestamp
- Confluence stores the time the file was uploaded to the page/system.
- This time is stored in the server’s timezone (or in UTC, depending on the configuration) and usually shown to the viewer based on their Confluence profile timezone.
- Timestamp inside the screenshot
- If it’s a Windows screenshot, the captured image may display the Windows system clock in the taskbar — this reflects the uploader’s local system timezone/time at the moment of capture.
- System settings / Timezones
- Each participant could be in different timezones, and both Windows and Confluence adjust what times are displayed based on locale and user profile settings.
How to reconcile them
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Step 1: Look at the visible clock inside the Windows screenshot.
That shows the uploader’s system-local time when the screenshot was taken. - Step 2: Look at the Confluence upload timestamp.
Confluence shows when the image hit the server.- If your Confluence is set to show times in your timezone, you may need to compare with the uploader’s timezone.
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Step 3: Consider file properties (if available).
If you have the file (outside Confluence export), right-click → Properties → Details in Windows, which can give file created/modified timestamps. But keep in mind once it’s uploaded and downloaded, these may reset. - Step 4: Adjust for timezone differences.
- Convert everything to UTC or a common timezone for comparison.
- Example: If Confluence shows “2:00 PM UTC” upload time, and the screenshot shows “10:00 AM” on the taskbar, then likely the uploader system was running on a timezone 4 hours behind UTC.
Practical answer
- You cannot 100% “prove” when the screenshot was taken just from inside Confluence since upload could be delayed.
- What you can infer is:
- The uploader’s local system clock/timezone from the time in the screenshot.
- The latest possible moment they uploaded from Confluence’s timestamp.
- If times differ, it’s due to timezone offsets or a system clock that’s misconfigured.
✅ So, to know if it’s a Windows screenshot:
- Look for UI: taskbar clock, Windows window elements, fonts, standard titlebars, etc.
- If you see the taskbar clock, that time is in the system’s local timezone.
- Compare against Confluence’s upload timestamp and convert both to UTC to line them up.
Would you like me to give you a step-by-step workflow (like exact checks to do in Confluence and on Windows) so you can verify whether the screenshot time matches the reported upload time?