General Questions
What is PhotoScanr?
PhotoScanr is an AI-powered photo analysis tool that automatically generates comprehensive metadata for your images. Upload any photo and instantly receive an AI-generated title, caption, keywords, detailed description, plus technical information like file size, dimensions, and format. It's designed to streamline the time-consuming process of creating image metadata for photographers, content creators, social media managers, and anyone working with digital images.
Who created PhotoScanr and why?
PhotoScanr was created by Duncan Rawlinson, a professional photographer with over 20 years of experience whose work has been featured in The New York Times and exhibited at the Smithsonian. Duncan built PhotoScanr to solve a real problem in his own photography workflow: the hours spent manually creating titles, descriptions, and keywords for hundreds or thousands of images. After using it successfully in his own work, he made it freely available to help other photographers and creators facing the same challenges.
How much does PhotoScanr cost?
PhotoScanr has a generous free tier with 5 analyses per day and no account required. For photographers and creators who need more, we offer paid plans: Pro and Power, with higher daily limits, larger batch sizes, all platform outputs, export features, and rescan with context. See Pricing for full details. You can also support development via tips on our About page.
Do I need to create an account?
No account is required for free use. Simply visit the site, upload your images, and get results instantly. If you upgrade to a paid plan (Pro or Power), you sign in with Google to manage your subscription and unlock additional features. There are no separate passwords to remember.
What image formats does PhotoScanr support?
PhotoScanr supports all common image formats including JPEG/JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, and TIFF. The AI analysis works equally well across all supported formats. For optimal results and faster uploads, we recommend JPEG format with reasonable file sizes (under 10MB when possible).
Is there a file size limit?
While there's no strict file size limit enforced on the frontend, we recommend keeping images under 20MB for optimal performance. The AI analysis works on images of any size, but very large files (over 20-30MB) will take longer to upload and process. For typical photography use cases, images in the 2-10MB range provide the best balance of quality and speed.
How It Works
What AI technology powers PhotoScanr?
PhotoScanr uses Google's Gemini 2.5 Flash model, one of the most advanced multimodal AI systems available. This state-of-the-art model can understand images holistically—recognizing objects, scenes, composition, artistic style, emotional tone, and context. Unlike simpler image recognition systems, Gemini understands relationships between elements and can generate descriptive, natural language that captures both the literal content and artistic qualities of your photographs.
How accurate is the AI analysis?
The AI provides highly accurate identification of common objects, scenes, and activities, typically with 90%+ accuracy for mainstream photographic content. Accuracy is highest for well-lit, clear images with recognizable subjects. The system may be less accurate with abstract art, highly niche subjects, or images with unusual compositions. We always recommend reviewing AI-generated metadata and refining it with your specific knowledge—the AI provides an excellent starting point that you can enhance with context only you possess.
Can I analyze multiple images at once?
Yes! PhotoScanr supports batch processing. You can upload multiple images simultaneously and analyze them all at once. Each image receives individual analysis with its own unique metadata. Batch size depends on your plan: free users can batch up to 3 images, Pro up to 25, and Power up to 50. Paid plan users can export results for all images together in convenient formats (JSON, CSV, TXT) as a single ZIP file.
What is Instagram Mode?
Instagram Mode is a specialized feature designed specifically for social media creators. After uploading your image, select "Instagram" from the platform tabs to see Instagram-optimized output. The AI generates captions optimized for Instagram (respecting the 2,200 character limit), provides 20-30 trending hashtags formatted with # symbols, includes character counters for titles and captions, and validates that your image dimensions meet Instagram's aspect ratio requirements (0.8:1 to 1.91:1). You can instantly switch between Instagram and other platforms (Flickr, Pinterest, Twitter/X, LinkedIn) without re-analyzing your image.
How do I export my results?
PhotoScanr offers flexible export options to fit different workflows. You can copy individual fields (title, caption, keywords, description) to your clipboard with one click, or export complete analysis for all processed images in multiple formats: JSON files (ideal for developers and automated workflows), CSV spreadsheets (perfect for importing into databases or photo management software), and formatted text files (ready for blog posts, social media, or documentation). All formats are packaged together in a convenient ZIP file for easy download.
Can I edit the AI-generated metadata?
While PhotoScanr doesn't currently include a built-in editor (to keep the interface simple and focused), you can easily copy the generated metadata to your clipboard and paste it into any text editor or your photo management software for refinement. The AI provides high-quality starting points that typically require only minor adjustments to add specific details like proper names, exact locations, or personal creative context.
Privacy & Security
Are my photos stored or saved anywhere?
Absolutely not. PhotoScanr never stores, saves, or retains your images. Here's exactly what happens: your image is converted to base64 format in your browser, sent securely to our Cloudflare Worker proxy, passed to the Gemini AI for analysis, and then immediately discarded. The entire process takes seconds, and no copy of your image persists anywhere on our servers or in any database. Your images exist only temporarily in memory during analysis, then are gone forever.
Can PhotoScanr staff see my photos?
No. The system is fully automated with no human review. Photos pass directly from your browser to the AI system and back, never being logged, cached, or made visible to any staff members. The architecture is designed specifically to eliminate any possibility of human access to your images.
Is my data encrypted?
Yes. All communication between your browser and our servers uses HTTPS encryption (SSL/TLS), the same security standard used by banks and other services handling sensitive data. This encryption protects your images during transmission, preventing interception or viewing by third parties. Additionally, the Cloudflare Worker architecture provides enterprise-grade security and DDoS protection.
Does PhotoScanr track me or use cookies?
PhotoScanr uses minimal tracking focused only on improving the service. We don't use advertising cookies, don't sell data, and don't create detailed user profiles. Any analytics we collect are aggregated and anonymous, used solely to understand general usage patterns and identify technical issues. You can review our complete privacy practices in our Privacy Policy.
What about copyright and intellectual property?
You retain all rights to your images. Uploading photos to PhotoScanr for analysis does not transfer any ownership, rights, or licenses to us. The AI-generated metadata (titles, captions, keywords, descriptions) is provided to you without restriction—you can use it however you wish. PhotoScanr makes no claim to your intellectual property whatsoever.
Is PhotoScanr safe for sensitive or confidential images?
While PhotoScanr never stores images and uses secure transmission, we recommend exercising caution with truly sensitive material. For classified information, medical records, legal documents, or other highly confidential content, consider whether any third-party analysis service is appropriate for your specific security requirements. PhotoScanr is designed for general photography, creative work, and business images—the types of photos people typically share publicly or professionally.
Troubleshooting
The analysis is taking a long time. Is something wrong?
Analysis typically completes in 5-15 seconds per image. Longer wait times can occur if: your internet connection is slow (large images take time to upload), the Gemini AI service is experiencing high demand, or you're analyzing very high-resolution images. If analysis hasn't completed after 60 seconds, try refreshing the page and uploading a single image to test. For large batches, process images in smaller groups (10-20 at a time) for optimal performance.
I'm getting an error message. What should I do?
Common errors and solutions: "Upload Failed" usually indicates a connection issue—check your internet connection and try again. "Analysis Error" may occur with corrupted image files—try re-saving the image and uploading again. "Rate Limit Exceeded" means you've hit temporary usage limits—wait a few minutes and try again. If problems persist, try using a different browser, clearing your browser cache, or reducing image file sizes. Still having issues? Contact us at [email protected] with details about the error.
The AI results don't seem accurate for my image. Why?
Several factors can affect accuracy: images of very niche subjects the AI hasn't encountered frequently, abstract or experimental photography where interpretation is subjective, images with poor lighting or extreme blur, or photos containing culturally specific elements not well-represented in training data. If you consistently get poor results for specific types of images, let us know—this feedback helps us improve the system. Remember that AI analysis is a starting point; your expert knowledge should always refine the final metadata.
Can PhotoScanr work offline?
No, PhotoScanr requires an internet connection because the AI analysis happens on Google's cloud servers, not on your local device. This architecture ensures you always benefit from the most advanced AI model without requiring powerful local hardware or massive downloads. The web-based design also means PhotoScanr works on any device with a browser—desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone—without installation.
Does PhotoScanr work on mobile devices?
Yes! PhotoScanr is fully responsive and works on smartphones and tablets. The mobile interface is optimized for smaller screens while retaining full functionality. You can upload photos directly from your mobile device's camera roll, take new photos and analyze them immediately, or analyze images from URLs. All features including batch processing, platform switching (Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest, Twitter/X, LinkedIn), and export options work on mobile devices.
Best Practices
How can I get the best results from PhotoScanr?
Follow these tips for optimal results: Use well-lit, in-focus images (the AI sees what humans see—better image quality yields better analysis). Process images right after photo shoots while context is fresh in your mind, making it easier to refine AI descriptions with specific details. Review and refine all AI-generated metadata—add proper names, exact locations, or creative intent that only you know. Use consistent terminology across similar images for better organization. For professional workflows, create templates for common metadata fields (copyright, contact info) that you add to all images.
Should I analyze RAW files or JPEGs?
PhotoScanr works with RAW files, but we recommend analyzing JPEGs instead for several reasons: RAW files are enormous (20-50MB+) and take much longer to upload. The AI analysis focuses on visual content, not technical camera data, so RAW's extra information doesn't improve metadata quality. Most photographers export RAW files as JPEGs before publishing anyway—analyze those final JPEGs so your metadata matches what you'll actually use. This approach is faster and produces identical metadata results.
How does PhotoScanr fit into my photography workflow?
PhotoScanr works best as a post-processing step: Import your photos into your primary photo editing software (Lightroom, Capture One, etc.). Edit images as usual (color correction, cropping, retouching). Export final versions as JPEGs. Upload to PhotoScanr for AI analysis. Copy or export the metadata. Apply it to your images using your photo management software. Publish with complete, optimized metadata. This workflow combines your creative editing with AI-powered metadata generation, giving you the best of both worlds.
What should I do with the AI-generated metadata?
Use AI-generated metadata strategically: Titles become your image filename (better than IMG_5847.jpg). Descriptions work as alt text for accessibility and SEO. Keywords/Tags help organize your photo library and improve searchability. Captions (switch to Instagram, Flickr, or other platform tabs) are ready for platform-specific posting. Embed metadata into image files using photo management software so it stays with your images permanently. Use metadata for portfolio organization, client deliveries, stock photography submissions, Flickr uploads, and SEO optimization of your website.
Still Have Questions?
Can't find what you're looking for? We're here to help.
Contact us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you typically within 24-48 hours.
You can also check out our Resources section for in-depth guides on AI photo analysis, metadata best practices, Instagram optimization, and more.