File Creation Dates Lie to You

Every file on your computer has metadata. Your system stores creation date, modified date, and access date. You probably think the creation date shows when you created the content.

You're wrong.

Your operating system assigns a creation date when it writes a file to storage. That date shows when that specific copy appeared on that specific device, but nothing else.

It doesn't show when you first created the content, when you drafted the idea, or when you finished the work.

A creation date answers one question: When did this file entry appear here?

Copy a file and your system creates a new file entry. That action assigns a new creation date, even though the content stays identical.

Restore a backup and your system writes new files, stamping them with the restore time. Download a file and your system treats it as new, recording the moment of arrival.

You see this across all operating systems. The details vary, but the pattern stays the same.

Most creation dates change because of actions you do every day. You move files between folders, copy files to another disk, restore from backup, or download your own files from email or chat.

Each action creates a new file record, and each new record gets a new creation date.

You open a folder and see files that look recent, even though you wrote them years ago. The system did exactly what it was designed to do.

Cloud sync makes this worse. Sync tools move files constantly, downloading, uploading, and recreating local copies. Each recreation can reset the creation date. If you want to understand the difference between sync and backup, read Synchronization is not the same as backup.

You see different creation dates for the same file on different devices. You see dates change after a sync completes or after reconnecting a device that stayed offline. This doesn't mean data loss, though. It just shows how sync systems work.

Creation date fails when you need accuracy most.

You can't use it to answer these questions:

• When did I write this document?
• Which version came first?
• What content is actually new?
• Which files existed before this system change?

The date shows file placement, not content history.

You get better results with other signals. Modified date updates when content changes and survives copying better than creation date. Embedded metadata in photos and videos works well because capture time travels inside the file, even when file system dates change. For more on how metadata works in different contexts, check Understanding metadata and properties.

When a date truly matters, put it in the file name or inside the document. For important work, version history gives you context that a single timestamp never can. If you take notes regularly, Notes Best Practices - Metadata shows you how to handle metadata properly.

Creation date sounds useful, but it shows location, not origin. It changes easily, varies by system and workflow, and misleads you when you trust it alone.

If accuracy matters, treat creation date as a weak signal. Use it with caution and always pair it with stronger context.