| No EXIF fields appear | Image never contained recognized tags, or prior processing removed them. | Check other metadata groups and try the original camera file. |
| GPS is not listed | Geotagging may have been disabled or another app already stripped it. | Review GPS settings and inspect the original image with another viewer. |
| Downloaded photo looks rotated | EXIF orientation was removed without preserving the displayed rotation. | Use a rotation/orientation workflow and inspect again. |
| Colors look different | Color profile was removed or an image was re-encoded. | Preserve relevant profiles and compare outputs in a color-managed viewer. |
| HEIC does not load | Browser codec support or file structure may be unsupported. | Try a compatible browser or convert a backup to a supported image format. |
| GIF no longer animates | Canvas re-encoding may use a still frame. | Keep the original animation and verify documented output behavior. |
| The cleaned image is larger | Re-encoding or format changes can affect compression. | Compare output format and quality; use lossless rewriting where supported. |
| Metadata still appears | Selected preset may preserve fields or the tag was not recognized. | Choose the necessary categories and independently re-scan. |
| Copyright information disappeared | The selected profile removed author or rights tags. | Restore from original and use selective preservation. |
| Unexpected camera information remains | Vendor maker notes or EXIF categories may remain. | Inspect the exact remaining tag and choose broader cleaning if supported. |
| Batch ZIP is incomplete | Some source files may fail to decode or exceed browser resources. | Review failures and retry smaller groups by format. |
| Processing is slow | Large batches and large images consume CPU and memory. | Reduce batch size and close unneeded heavy browser tabs. |
| Preview and downloaded file differ | Export conversion or orientation handling may affect appearance. | Open the actual downloaded output and revise settings. |
| Photo is still identifiable | Metadata cleaning does not remove faces, signage or image content. | Apply appropriate visual redaction and review context. |
| A report exposes coordinates | The report retains before-cleaning evidence of sensitive fields. | Store reports securely or avoid sharing sensitive reports. |
| PDF retains visible personal data | Property metadata and document content are separate. | Review document body, attachments, comments and revisions. |
| Office document retains tracked changes | Property cleaning does not guarantee revision-history removal. | Use dedicated Office document inspection and sanitization. |
| Browser download is blocked | Browser permissions or security settings prevent download. | Allow user-initiated downloads from the verified website. |
| Pasted image is unavailable | Clipboard permissions or content type are incompatible. | Save the image locally and import by file selection. |
| Nothing happens after drop | Browser scripts, extensions or unsupported file types interfere. | Enable scripts, test another supported file and inspect extension. |
| EXIF date remains in filename | File names are separate from embedded EXIF fields. | Rename exported files if file names disclose sensitive details. |
| Cleaned copy shows new Software tag | A converter or editor added metadata on save. | Run a final scan after all edits and conversions. |
| Cloud copy still has metadata | Local editing does not modify remotely stored originals. | Replace or delete remote copies using the appropriate service workflow. |
| Maximum cleaning strips important data | Full wipe may remove ICC, authorship and technical fields. | Use a tailored profile and retain a master copy. |
| Lossless mode is unavailable | The current file format may require decode and re-encode. | Use a documented compatible format or accept and inspect conversion. |
| Risk score seems too low | Heuristic scores cannot see all context and risk types. | Audit visible content, surrounding information and important tags yourself. |
| ZIP download opens as corrupt | The batch archive may be incomplete or transfer interrupted. | Regenerate in smaller batches and verify the completed download. |
Metadata Hygiene for Social Media, Messaging and Email
Social platforms often process photos differently depending on whether content is posted as a compressed image, a document attachment or a downloadable original. Because these rules can change, it is safer to remove unwanted metadata before sharing rather than relying on the platform to handle it.
When posting a profile image or product listing, verify GPS and timestamp removal and review the visible background. When sending a photo by email or as a file attachment, remember that the recipient may receive its original embedded data unless you supply a cleaned copy.
What to check: Inspect the specific file fields and settings relevant to metadata hygiene for social media, messaging and email.
Recommended action: Export a test copy, compare it with the original, and verify the metadata using an independent viewer where privacy matters.