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Short answer
Right-click the folder in File Explorer and choose Clean Metadata, then Create clean copy. Choose Selected folders only or Include subfolders if asked. The result contains files that needed and supported cleaning; it is not a complete copy of the original folder.
This guide covers Clean Metadata. Check requirements and download options before you begin.
Before you start
- Clean Metadata on Windows 11 24H2 or later, x64, with an active license.
- A small test folder on a local NTFS drive, below the drive root.
- Enough free space and a backup independent of the cleaning result.
Start here
Try a small folder
Put a few sample photos or documents and a subfolder in one test folder. Close apps that are changing them. Select the folder itself in File Explorer.
Choose Create clean copy
Right-click the folder, open Clean Metadata and choose Create clean copy. Keep the originals while you check this first batch.
Choose whether to include subfolders
If Include subfolders? appears, choose Selected folders only for files directly inside the chosen folder. Choose Include subfolders to process the folders inside it too.
Check the results
Wait for completion, then read each file's result on the finished screen. Check its status, removed-field count, output path and any skipped-file or retained-field notes rather than relying only on the batch total.
Open the output folder
When files need cleaning, folder selections create a separate folder beside the source, normally ending in - processed. A number avoids an existing name. Outputs keep their filenames and subfolder layout. Open the files you need and check them before sharing.
Check your result
- The chosen subfolder setting matches what you intended.
- The original folder and your backup remain available.
- You checked which files were saved, skipped or left unchanged.
- The files you plan to share open correctly and any retained information is understood.
The output is not a complete folder backup
An unsupported file or one with no removable metadata may have no copy in the output. Empty result folders can also be removed after processing. The - processed folder name does not tell you whether personal fields remain; read each file result.
Keep your original folder and normal backup. Do not replace them with the cleaning result.
When a folder needs attention
Start smaller if the selection is too large or too deep. Offline placeholders and linked locations may be skipped; use ordinary local files in a supported location.
Cancel attempts to undo changes from the active batch, including removing the copies that batch created. Wait for the final results. An unexpected interruption is different: completed copies can remain. Inspect outputs and any recovery notice before starting another run, and do not delete protected recovery folders while an issue is unresolved.
Clean Metadata
View app detailsRelated guides
- Clean Metadata: keep a copy or replace the original?
- Why did Clean Metadata skip a file or keep a field?
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