---
title: "Metadata locale atom ('loca')"
framework: quicktime-file-format
role: symbol
role_heading: Atom
path: quicktime-file-format/metadata_locale_atom
---

# Metadata locale atom ('loca')

An atom that tags a metadata value with a locale.

## Overview

Overview A metadata value may optionally be tagged with its locale so that it may be chosen based upon the user’s language, country, and so on. This tagging makes it possible to include several keys of the same key type (e.g., copyright or scene description) but with differing locales for users with different languages or locations. The type of the metadata locale atom is ‘loca’. If the metadata locale atom is absent, metadata values should be considered appropriate for all locales. The layout of a metadata locale atom is as follow:  |   |   |   |

## Topics

### Data fields

- [Size](quicktime-file-format/metadata_locale_atom/size.md)
- [Type](quicktime-file-format/metadata_locale_atom/type.md)
- [Locale string](quicktime-file-format/metadata_locale_atom/locale_string.md)

## See Also

### Describing timed metadata

- [Metadata key table atom ('keys')](quicktime-file-format/metadata_key_table_atom.md)
- [Bit rate atom ('btrt')](quicktime-file-format/bit_rate_atom.md)
- [Metadata key atom](quicktime-file-format/metadata_key_atom.md)
- [Metadata key declaration atom ('keyd')](quicktime-file-format/metadata_key_declaration_atom.md)
- [Metadata datatype definition atom ('dtyp')](quicktime-file-format/metadata_datatype_definition_atom.md)