Photo Date Rescue — frequently asked questions
Short answers to what people ask before they start: getting photos in, restoring dates, privacy, devices and plans. Search, or browse by topic. For how a feature behaves once you are using it, see the Help center.
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Getting started
What is Photo Date Rescue?
PDR is a Windows desktop app that restores correct dates to messy photo libraries, then helps you organize, discover, create and share.
- It shows the evidence and confidence behind each date, so you stay in control.
- Date restoration is the foundation — Albums, Memories, search, Family Trees, Collages and more build on top of it.
How do I try it before buying?
Use the free web demo — no account, nothing stored.
- The browser demo processes files temporarily and does not store your library.
- When you are ready for a full library, get the desktop app.
How do I add my photos?
Add folders, ZIP archives and external drives — from cloud exports, phones, apps, cameras and scans.
- You start in Workspace, which becomes your Dashboard once the first source is added.
- There is no single legacy input folder, and ZIP archives do not need extracting first.
- Your originals are never modified.
Restoring dates
What if my dates are wrong or missing?
PDR looks at several kinds of evidence and shows you what it found.
- It reads metadata (EXIF/XMP), filename patterns and folder context.
- Each photo gets a suggested date with a confidence level and its source.
- You approve fixes, which are written as safe copies.
Does PDR change everything automatically?
No — it proposes dates from evidence and leaves you in control.
- Genuinely uncertain items go to Needs Dates for your decision, rather than being guessed.
- PDR does not claim to repair every photo on its own.
Are my original files safe?
Always. Your originals are never modified.
- Approved changes are saved as copies, so your source files stay exactly as they are.
Will it handle old devices, backups and scans?
Yes — messy, mixed history is the whole point.
- Old Androids, early iPhones, cameras, WhatsApp and Messenger media, Takeout exports, SD cards and scanned prints are all in scope.
- Scans land in a sensible, approximate order alongside your dated photos.
Features
Is PDR just a date fixer?
Date restoration is the foundation, not the whole product.
- Once dates are right you get Albums, Memories, Viewer, search and discovery, and Family Trees.
- You can also make Collages and Carousels, record tutorials, capture the screen, send to phone and print or save PDFs.
Does PDR use AI, and is it private?
Yes — and it runs on your own computer.
- On-device features such as face and name recognition work locally on your Windows PC.
- Nothing is uploaded, and no model is trained on your photos.
What is Ask PDR?
Ask PDR is an offline, curated help search built into the app.
- It finds guidance from PDR's own help content.
- It is not a generative AI chatbot and does not send anything to the cloud.
What is the difference between Screen Recording and Screen Capture?
They are two separate tools.
- Screen Recording captures your screen, webcam and voice for tutorials and demos, and can take captures during a recording.
- Screen Capture works without recording and can grab a user-selected area, not just the whole screen.
- You do not have to record to take a screenshot.
Privacy
Do my photos ever leave my computer?
With the desktop app, no.
- It runs entirely on your Windows PC — photos are not uploaded and are not used to train anyone's model.
What about the web demo?
The browser demo is for trying date-fixing, not storing your library.
- It uses temporary processing and does not store your library.
Do you keep my library or require an account?
No.
- PDR does not upload your Master Library to Photo Date Rescue.
- The desktop app does not need an account to work.
Compatibility
Which operating systems does PDR support?
PDR is a Windows desktop application today.
- A macOS release is targeted for Q4 2026, potentially Q1 2027 — a target window, not a guaranteed date.
Can I run PDR on my phone or tablet?
No — PDR is a desktop app.
- Large libraries are impractical to process on a phone, and running on a real PC keeps them fast and private.
- You can still try the browser demo from any device.
Where can my Master Library live?
On storage you control — chosen for your speed and capacity needs.
- A suitable internal drive, an external Library Drive, or a supported network/NAS location.
- Not every network path is equally fast — the Library Drive Advisor helps you choose.
Does PDR accept ZIP archives?
Yes — add ZIP archives directly.
- There is no need to extract everything first.
Plans
How much does PDR cost, and am I locked in?
You are never locked in.
- Start free with the web demo, then choose Monthly, Yearly or Lifetime — all available immediately.
What is the difference between the plans?
Choose the commitment that suits you.
- Monthly and Yearly are subscriptions that keep the app updated as platforms change.
- Lifetime is a one-off purchase for long-term users.
Is there a refund policy?
Yes.
- See our Refund Policy for the full details.
Do I need to be online to use PDR?
A paid license works offline. A free trial does not.
- After a one-off activation, a paid license keeps running with no connection and re-checks quietly inside a seven-day grace.
- A trial run has to reach us first to read how much of your allowance is left, so it is refused rather than run when you are offline.
Still stuck? Contact support or start with the PDR Guides. You can also try date-fixing free in the web demo.