Manage metadata

Make quick updates to metadata right from the evidence details page.

Watch this video to learn more about managing metadata.

Update metadata

Select Evidence, and then find the evidence you want to work with.
Select the evidence title from the list to open the file in the evidence details page.
Select the Details tab.
Scroll to the Custom metadata section. If it is collapsed, select it to expand.
Select the metadata you want to update:
- ID: Select ID, enter the updated ID, and then select Save to apply the change or Cancel to discard it.
- Title: Select Title, enter the updated title, and then select Save to apply the change or Cancel to discard it.
- Categories: Select Categories, select the checkbox next to each category you want to add. To remove a category, select the X next to its name.
- Description: Select Description, enter an updated description, and then select Save to apply the change or Cancel to discard it.
- Assigned to: Select Assigned to, enter a name, and then select Save to apply the change or Cancel to discard it.
- Tags: Select Tags, enter tags or select the X next to an existing tag to remove it. Select Save to apply the changes, or Cancel to discard them.
- Evidence group: Select Evidence group, choose a new evidence group, and then select Save to apply the change or Cancel to discard it.
- Recorded on: Select Recorded on to open the interactive calendar. Select the X next to the existing date/time to remove it. and use one of the following methods to enter a new date and time:
  - Manually edit the date and time: Directly enter the date and time in the Recorded On box.
  - Use the calendar and time selector to edit the date and time: Use the calendar and time selector to choose a new date and time.
- Cases: Enter a case ID and select Save to add the evidence to the case, or select Cancel to discard it.

Metadata overlays

Metadata overlays provide the ability for users to add evidence metadata onto video evidence while viewing the evidence and extract copies of the evidence with the metadata information embedded. This is accomplished by overlaying the metadata in the upper left section of the evidence display.

The metadata overlay also includes the Viewed by watermark, which displays a UTC timestamp.

Metadata overlay functionality is available for Axon Body-Worn Camera (BWC) videos, Fleet videos, and converted third-party videos. Metadata overlays for multicam videos and other evidence types are not supported in the initial release.

The types of metadata that can be displayed and embedded depend on the type of evidence:

Axon BWC video: Agency name, evidence ID, recorded on date and time, Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both), and GPS Coordinates.
Axon Fleet/Fleet 2 video: Agency name, evidence ID, recorded on date and time, Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both), and vehicle speed.
Axon Fleet 3 video: Agency name, evidence ID, recorded on date and time, Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both), GPS Coordinates, Recorded By officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both), recording activation reason, vehicle speed, when the vehicle lightbar is on, when the vehicle siren is on, and when the vehicle brakes are being applied. RADAR information is available if the RADAR Integration is enabled.
Converted third-party video, non-Axon videos, clips, extractions, and redactions: Agency name, evidence ID, recorded on date and time, Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both), and vehicle speed (if available).

Viewed by watermark on video and image evidence

Video and Image evidence displays a Viewed by watermark that shows who viewed the file. The watermark helps deter unauthorized sharing while reviewing evidence.

When reviewing video or image evidence, you can reposition the Viewed by watermark to avoid obscuring important details in the image.

You can move the watermark to one of the following positions:

Top left
Top right
Center
Bottom left
Bottom right

Important considerations

The watermark is always visible and cannot be turned off.
Repositioning applies only while viewing the video or image.
The original evidence file is not modified.

Note

Fleet videos that have two assigned officers will show badge ID information for both officers. The lightbar, siren, and brake status are only available if those options are enabled in your agency's Fleet 3 configuration.

Your organization’s Axon Evidence administrator can set which information is shown by default using Evidence Playback Settings.

The organization name displayed is the same as name shown on the Axon Evidence sign-in page. The Assigned To information shown is set by your organization’s Axon Evidence administrator using Evidence Playback Settings and can be configured to show a badge ID, first initial and last name, or the first initial, last name, and badge ID.

Display evidence metadata with a metadata overlay

The metadata overlay information can be shown on evidence from the evidence details page and while viewing evidence in Review Mode. Some overlays may be enabled by default. Check with your organization’s Axon Evidence administrator for more information on which overlay information is shown by default.

With the evidence open, select Settings (gear) on the media player.
Select Overlays.
From the Overlays menu, select the metadata options you want to view on the evidence.
Warning
The information in the metadata overlay is only a preview. To permanently embed the metadata, make sure to extract a copy of the evidence while the overlay is still visible. If you leave or refresh the evidence details page or Review Mode without doing this, the metadata will no longer be shown when you return.

Selecting a metadata option displays the information on the upper left of the evidence. The metadata is displayed in the same order, top to bottom, as is shown in the overlays menu.

Extract evidence with a metadata overlay

If you have permission to edit evidence, you can extract a copy of the evidence with the metadata overlays from the evidence details page.

With the evidence open, select Settings (gear) on the media player.
Select Overlays, then choose the metadata overlays you want to show on the video. Choose from Recorded on, Officer (Assigned to), and GPS Coordinates.

The selected metadata is displayed as an overlay on the video.
Select More actions, then select Extract.
In the "Extract with selected overlays" window, select Extract to confirm or select Cancel to revise your settings.

After the extracted evidence is ready, you will receive an email confirmation with a link to the new evidence.

Axon Evidence creates a copy of the evidence with the selected metadata overlays. The extraction is logged in the evidence audit trail, including details about which metadata overlays were selected for the extraction. Extracted evidence files can be used to create clips, redactions, and add markers.

View extracted files

The Related tab lists all extracted versions of the evidence, including metadata overlay extractions and converted third-party outputs. Select an item to open it.

Alternatively, you can also open related files from any tab. Select the current tab name (for example, Overview), then select Related.

Share evidence and metadata overlays

The ability to use and view metadata overlay information in shared evidence files depends on how the evidence is shared:

Manage Access Inside My Agency: If you are on the Internal Access Control List, you have access to the evidence and are able to review evidence with metadata overlays. Extraction with metadata overlays is controlled by your permission to edit evidence.
Manage Access Outside My Agency: If you are on the External Access Control List, you can view evidence with metadata overlays, but cannot create extractions.
Manage Access Outside My Agency using a Download Link: The metadata overlays cannot be used during evidence playback. To share evidence with the metadata overlays, an extraction would need to be created and shared.
Sharing Evidence through a Case: When sharing evidence within in a case, included metadata is not displayed by default. When the original video is shared with a partner agency, all overlays available to the original agency will also be available to the partner agency. However, ‘Assigned To’, ‘GPS coordinates’ and ‘Vehicle Information’ (such as vehicle name, vehicle speed, radar, etc.), which get a new value in the partner agency due to the change in video assignment, will not be displayed when sharing through copy flow. In situations where only limited overlays should be available or when certain overlays must be embedded in a video, it’s recommended that you create a video extraction with the overlays. This allows partner agencies to independently manage the overlays on extracted videos.
When extracted evidence files are shared, the metadata overlays are visible to the viewer and cannot be changed.

Metadata overlay frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which role permissions are needed for different overlay actions?

Overlays do not have special permissions and rely on user’s view, edit evidence, and admin access permissions to control display, extraction, and enabling default overlay settings:

Edit Agency Settings permission under Admin Access section controls access to Evidence Playback Settings.
Edit permission under Evidence Management section controls access to option to extract evidence with overlays.
View Unrestricted Evidence and Access Restricted Evidence (and other view-related permissions) control user’s access to evidence viewing options.

Can overlays be added to any type of evidence?

Metadata overlay functionality is available for Axon body-worn camera (BWC) videos, Fleet videos, and converted third-party videos. Metadata overlays for multicam videos and other evidence types are not supported in the initial release.

How do you enable overlays for playback?

The option to view overlays and extract evidence with overlays is enabled for all agencies by default. A More Action (gear) icon has been added to the player. When a user clicks on the icon and selects Overlays, a menu with all available overlays for that type of evidence is shown. The user can select any of the overlays to be displayed during playback.

Note

This selection is not saved. The next time you load this evidence or when evidence is shared, you must select the overlays again.

Which data can be added as an overlay?

Type of Evidence	Available Overlays	Notes
Axon Body Worn Camera videos	Agency name Evidence ID Recorded On date and time Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both) GPS Coordinates (Axon Body 4)	The organization name displayed is the same as name shown on the agency’s Axon Evidence sign-in page.
Axon Fleet/Fleet 2 videos	Agency name Evidence ID Recorded On date and time Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both) Vehicle speed	The organization name displayed is the same as name shown on the agency’s Axon Evidence sign-in page. Fleet videos that have two assigned officers will show badge ID information for both officers.
Axon Fleet 3 videos	Agency name Evidence ID Recorded On date and time Assigned To officer information (Officer name, Officer Badge ID, or both) Recorded By officer information (Officer name) Officer Badge ID, or both) Recording Activation reason GPS Coordinates Vehicle speed Lightbar status Siren status Brake status RADAR information (if integration is enabled)	The organization name displayed is the same as name shown on the agency’s Axon Evidence sign-in page. Fleet videos that have two assigned officers will show badge ID information for both officers. The lightbar, siren, and brake status are only available if those options are enabled in your agency's Fleet 3 configuration.
Converted third-party video, non-Axon videos, clips, extractions, and redactions	Agency name Evidence ID Recorded On date and time Assigned To officer information (Officer name Officer Badge ID, or both) Vehicle speed (if available)	The organization name displayed is the same as name shown on the agency’s Axon Evidence sign-in page.

How do you share evidence with overlays?

Depending on the goals and preferred sharing method, we support both: sharing original evidence (with an option for the receiving party to enable/disable overlays by choice), or sharing derivative evidence with embedded overlays (to guarantee that the receiving party always reviews evidence with selected overlays).

Sharing original evidence with overlays

The ability to use and view metadata overlay information in shared evidence files depends on how the evidence is shared:

Manage Access Inside My Agency: Users added to the Internal Access Control List have access to the evidence and are able to review evidence with metadata overlays. Extraction with metadata overlays is controlled by user’s permission to edit evidence.
Manage Access Outside My Agency: Users added to the External Access Control List can view evidence with metadata overlays, but cannot create extractions.
Manage Access Outside My Agency using a Download Link: The metadata overlays cannot be used during evidence playback. To share evidence with the metadata overlays, an extraction would need to be created and shared.
Sharing Evidence through a Case: Metadata information included in the evidence is included when the evidence is shared in a case, but it is not displayed by default. When the original video is shared to a partner agency, all overlays available to the original agency will also be available to the partner agency. However, "Assigned To", "GPS coordinates" and "Vehicle Information" (such as vehicle name, vehicle speed, radar, etc.) that receives a new value in the partner agency due to the change in video assignment is not displayed when sharing through copy flow. In situations where only limited overlays should be available or when certain overlays must be embedded in a video, it’s recommended that you create a video extraction with the overlays. This allows partner agencies to independently manage the overlays on extracted video.

Sharing derivative evidence with embedded overlays

Sharing derivative evidence with embedded overlays is recommended when it’s important to guarantee that specific overlays are displayed every time evidence is being reviewed. When extracted evidence files are shared, the metadata overlays are visible to the viewer and cannot be changed.

How do I create videos with embedded overlays?

You can create videos with embedded overlays by selecting the metadata that you want to display and extracting the video

Can overlays be set to be always shared?

No, this is not a supported option. Organization's can enable overlays to be displayed by default, extract with those overlays, and share the derivative evidence to make sure specific overlays are available after sharing.

Can overlays be set to always be displayed?

Axon Evidence administrators with access to the Evidence Playback Settings page can enable any of the overlays to be always displayed by default organization-wide. This setting only applies to evidence when reviewed within the organization. After sharing, overlay display will depend on the corresponding settings in the receiving organization, except for the situations when video is shared with embedded overlays.

When overlays are enabled by default, users can still manually disable overlays during playback or enable overlays that haven’t been set by default.

How do I download a video with overlays?

Extract the video with embedded overlays and then download the extracted video.

Why do I not see GPS coordinates on the Overlay option?

If your video does not contain GPS coordinates, you will not see this option on the Overlay options.