https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=502987
Bug ID: 502987
Summary: EXIF metadata lost after rotating images in Gwenview
24.12.3 (KDE Neon) via "Actions" sidebar
Classification: Applications
Product: gwenview
Version: 24.12.3
Platform: Other
OS: Linux
Status: REPORTED
Severity: normal
Priority: NOR
Component: general
Assignee: gwenview-bugs-n...@kde.org
Reporter: quersch...@protonmail.com
Target Milestone: ---
SUMMARY
Rotating JPEG images via the “Actions” sidebar in Gwenview causes EXIF metadata
to be lost upon saving, even in recent versions (e.g. 24.12.3). This appears to
perform a destructive recompression instead of a lossless EXIF-based rotation.
STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open a JPEG image in Gwenview.
2. Use the “Actions” sidebar > click “Rotate Left” or “Rotate Right”.
3. Close Gwenview; a dialog appears asking whether to save changes — choose
“Save”.
OBSERVED RESULT
The resulting image has no EXIF metadata (e.g. DateTimeOriginal, camera info,
orientation tag). The file appears to have been re-encoded, and all original
metadata is lost.
EXPECTED RESULT
Rotation should be performed losslessly by modifying the EXIF orientation flag
whenever possible. If actual recompression is necessary, the original EXIF
metadata should be preserved and copied to the new file.
SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: N/A
macOS: N/A
Linux/KDE Plasma: KDE neon 6.0 (based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS)
KDE Plasma Version: 6.0.x
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.x
Qt Version: 6.x
Gwenview Version: 24.12.3
Install source: Official KDE Neon repositories (not Snap, not Flatpak)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This behavior is unexpected from an image *viewer*, and may result in silent
data loss. Many users expect viewers to handle rotations non-destructively.
Suggestion: Gwenview should default to performing **lossless EXIF-based
rotations**, preserving all metadata. Only when combining multiple edits (crop,
resize, filters, etc.) should destructive save operations be triggered — and
even then, metadata should be retained when possible.
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