Layered metadata recovery
EXIF, XMP, and JSON sidecars first. When those fail, filename inference and consistent fallback rules rebuild the truth.
Photo Date Rescue
Fix wrong photo dates from any device, app, or cloud — instantly.
What's new in v2
Date repair is the foundation. Here's what's built on top of it.
AI Face Recognition
Identify and tag people across your entire library. Runs locally — your photos never leave your device.
Automatic Memories
PDR curates collections by date, event, and people so your library tells the story, not just stores the files.
Metadata Search
Find any photo by date, location, person, or keyword. Your entire library, instantly searchable.
Why PDR is different
One coherent timeline, rebuilt from every signal your files carry.
Real-world chaos handled
Google Takeout, iCloud, WhatsApp, Messenger, OneDrive, SD cards, scans, and decades of mixed Android + iPhone libraries — all in scope.
Private, on your machine
The desktop app runs entirely on your own computer. Files never leave your device, never get uploaded, never train anyone’s model.
Clean master library output
Chronological order, consistent filenames, duplicates resolved — a single library you can archive, back up, or re-upload.
How it works
Premium, simple guidance for restoring your entire photo life.
1
Export your photos
Get your photos and videos out of Google Photos, iCloud, WhatsApp, Messenger, OneDrive, SD cards, phones and cameras — at full quality.
- Use Export Unmodified Originals from Apple.
- Keep Google’s JSON sidecars — they’re metadata gold.
- Avoid compressing or renaming anything yet.
2
Drop everything into PDR
Don’t tidy. Don’t rename. Don’t overthink it. Put all your chaos into a single PDR input folder, then:
- Use the web demo for a 200 MB preview.
- Use the desktop app for full collections (10 GB, 100 GB, 1 TB+).
- PDR repairs EXIF, XMP, filenames and timestamps automatically.
3
Save your new, clean timeline
PDR outputs a perfectly chronological library with safe, clean filenames. This becomes your new truth layer.
- Keep your originals in a separate backup folder.
- Re-upload the PDR output to Google Photos or iCloud.
- Build one master archive for your whole family.
PDR Pricing
Start free. Upgrade when you’re ready to restore everything.
Currently available for Windows. MacOS version planned for late 2026.
Start here
Free
$0
Two ways to try
No credit card. No account. Just try it.
Monthly
$19/mo
Desktop Version
- Full premium photo library suite
- One-click date repair
- AI face & name recognition
- Search by date, location, person, or any metadata
- Custom library structures
- Private, runs on your desktop
Best Value
Yearly
$79/yr
Desktop Version
- Everything in Monthly
- Save $174/yr vs paying monthly
- All future feature releases included
Lifetime
$199
One-time payment
- Everything in Yearly
- One-time payment, never another bill
Prices shown exclude local taxes (VAT/GST may apply at checkout).
Some people fix a single ZIP, export, or Takeout — and never need the tool again. Others fix new batches every year as phones, clouds, and apps evolve. Subscriptions keep the app sustainable and continuously updated, while Lifetime rewards loyal users fairly.
Guides: getting your photos in and out
Short, practical paths for every kind of chaos — cloud, messaging,
devices and scans.
Click any card for the full walkthrough.
Cloud Services
Google Photos: export with Takeout, keep JSON sidecars, avoid tiny ZIP fragments.
Apple Photos / iCloud: export Unmodified Originals, keep HEIC + MOV + Live Photos together.
OneDrive / Dropbox: PDR restores timelines even when camera-roll folders are scattered.
Facebook / Instagram / X / YouTube: download at full resolution where possible — PDR fixes whatever timestamps survive.
Social Apps
WhatsApp: filenames + folder patterns let PDR rebuild dates when EXIF is stripped.
Messenger / Telegram / Signal: PDR reconstructs timelines from partial or missing metadata.
Snapchat / TikTok: PDR places short clips and exports back into their correct life-story moments.
Ideal for multi-year chat archives, group albums, and shared family histories.
Hardware Devices
Phones & Cameras: copy DCIM folders directly; PDR reads every real timestamp it can identify.
Old Devices: PDR repairs broken chronology from forgotten backups and mixed-generation hardware.
External Drives: perfect for decades of scattered archives across different machines.
Best for families consolidating long-term device histories.
Scans & Legacy Media
Old Prints & Film: after digitising, PDR helps you build a clean timeline for your pre-digital life.
Bulk Scan Projects: organise scanned folders so PDR can rebuild approximate chronological order.
Mixed Formats: integrates scans alongside modern photos without disrupting your timeline.
Ideal for families digitising decades of albums.
Tools & Recommendations
Suggested apps, hardware, and workflows that pair perfectly with PDR for fast, organised photo management.
Export tools, folder strategies, backup drives, scanning devices, and more.
Includes affiliate-friendly recommendations that genuinely help users build and maintain a master library.
Your go-to toolkit for keeping everything tidy long-term.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers to help you feel confident from the first click.
Will PDR work with all my photos — even the messy ones?
Yes. PDR is built for real-world chaos: Google Photos, iCloud, WhatsApp, Messenger, OneDrive, Takeout ZIPs, SD cards, old phones, scanned prints and more.
What if my dates are completely wrong or missing?
PDR uses layered detection and reconstruction. If valid metadata exists, it fixes it. If filenames hold clues, it restores them. If nothing exists, PDR applies consistent fallback logic to rebuild chronological order.
Is this safe for my personal memories?
Web preview uses temporary processing only and deletes files after download. The desktop app runs entirely on your own computer — your photos never leave your device.
Is this going to take me hours?
No. You prepare exports once, then drag folders into PDR and let it do the work. Most libraries process in minutes, not days.
Will it handle older devices and backups?
Yes. Old Androids, early iPhones, digital cameras, WhatsApp backups, Google Takeout dumps, SD cards and scanned albums are all part of the design brief.
How much does this really cost? Am I locked in?
You’re never locked in. Start with the free web preview. Choose Monthly, Yearly, or Lifetime when you’re ready — all plans are available immediately.
Why isn’t there already an app that does this properly?
Because the problem is messy, technical, and unglamorous. Most developers avoid it. PDR was built because someone finally cared enough to solve it properly.
Is Photo Date Rescue available for Mac?
Photo Date Rescue is currently available for Windows. A MacOS version is planned for late 2026.
Can I use PDR on my phone?
No — PDR is a desktop application (currently Windows; macOS planned for late 2026). Photo libraries large enough to warrant a tool like PDR aren't realistic to process on a phone, and running locally on a real machine is what keeps your photos private.
Is PDR just a photo date fixer?
Not anymore. PDR is a full premium photo library suite — one-click date repair is one feature among many. You also get AI face & name recognition, metadata search (by date, location, person, or any tag), custom library structures, automatic memory collections, and a Date Editor for fine-grained corrections.
Does PDR use AI?
Yes — for face recognition and tagging — but it runs entirely on your computer. Your photos and the AI model never leave your device, no cloud, no account, no training anyone else's model.
Affiliates & Partners
If you run a photo-organising, digitising, or printing service, PDR can quietly power the “date-fixing” layer behind your offers. Deliver cleaner libraries, better albums, and more meaningful photo products for your clients.
Enquire about affiliate & partner optionsPrivacy guarantee
Web preview: files are processed only in temporary storage, never retained, and deleted automatically immediately after your download completes.
Desktop app: everything runs locally on your own computer — your photos never leave your device.
Need help or want to talk?
If you have questions about huge libraries, edge-case exports, or professional use, reach out and we’ll help you plan the smoothest path.
Contact support