ExifCleaner 4.3.0

ExifCleaner 4.3.0 routes WebP metadata removal through a new native engine, and stops a benign ExifTool warning from being reported as a failed inspection.

Native WebP handling

• WebP files are now cleaned by a native engine rather than by shelling out to ExifTool. The native path is used only when it reports the capability for the exact request; anything it declines falls back to the existing ExifTool path.
• Every native write goes through a staged, verified publication. The cleaned result is written to a private staging location, verified, and only then published over the original. A write that cannot be verified does not replace your file.
• Uncertain processing preserves the source. If the native path fails in a way that is not provably safe to retry, the source file is left unchanged rather than being replaced by a partially processed result.

Fixes

• Benign ExifTool [minor] warnings no longer fail metadata display (#344). Files that cleaned correctly but produced a non-fatal warning previously surfaced as an inspection failure.

Known limitations in 4.3.0

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: unsupported because ExifTool does not expose a 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-4.3.0.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: v4.2.1...v4.3.0