ExifCleaner 4.2.0

ExifCleaner 4.2.0 makes the first run calmer and keeps the packaged privacy toolchain current without adding background network activity.

A clearer first run

• The empty intake is now centered as one responsive composition instead of feeling split between copy and controls.
• Choose files is the clear primary action, with Choose folder available beside it and drag and drop unchanged.
• The intake explains whether ExifCleaner will save cleaned copies or modify originals, using the current setting rather than a generic promise.
• Nested folder intake reports unsupported files and folders it could not read instead of silently losing that summary.
• Help now includes New Releases, which opens the GitHub Releases page only when you click it. ExifCleaner does not poll for updates.

Localization with provenance

• Romanian is now fully supported. The 70 strings contributed in PR #297 are preserved exactly and credited to their contributor.
• Every supported locale covers the first-run and New Releases vocabulary.
• Translation records now distinguish existing community work from assisted drafts, track the English source each string translates, and expose stale or missing work without silently overwriting it.

Runtime and release maintenance

• The bundled ExifTool is updated from 13.50 to 13.59 for Unix and 32-bit-compatible Windows packages, with pinned upstream SHA-256 verification.
• Packaged Electron disables RunAsNode, NODE_OPTIONS, and Node CLI inspection. Cookie encryption remains disabled because ExifCleaner does not need cookie storage.
• Release automation treats a verified already-published version as a quiet no-op while retaining the full evidence gates for a new release.

Known limitations in 4.2.0

No executable release-blocking known gaps are approved for this release; documented format constraints follow below.

Format constraints

• RAF: cleaning is refused and the source is left unchanged because a safe cleaned RAF artifact cannot currently be guaranteed.
• PDF: ExifTool uses reversible updates, so prior metadata may remain recoverable.
• MKV: ExifTool does not expose a complete writable removal path.
• TIFF and AVIF: user-reported partial-removal behavior remains under investigation.

Downloads

Verify downloads against the release's SHASUMS256.txt file.

Opening unsigned builds

ExifCleaner remains unsigned. Signing would require publishing the maintainer's verified legal identity; no signed build is being promised.

• macOS 14 and earlier: right-click or Control-click the app, choose Open, then choose Open again.
• macOS 15 and later: open the app once, then use System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.
• Windows: if SmartScreen appears, choose More info → Run anyway after verifying the checksum.
• Linux: make the AppImage executable with chmod +x ExifCleaner-4.2.0.AppImage; .deb and .rpm packages install normally.

Every artifact is built publicly from tagged source by GitHub Actions. ExifCleaner makes no network requests during normal use.

Only download ExifCleaner from the GitHub releases page.

Full changelog: v4.1.0...v4.2.0