FAQ · Troubleshooting

No. The values you change in the editor (edit values) are saved separately in photoKam Radar's data folder, and the original file isn't changed at all. Your edits are applied only when you create a new file with Export, and the original file is never overwritten → Export.

No. Rotate 90° in the selection bar, the full view and the detail info leaves the original file as it is and saves the rotation as an edit value (90° rotation). The photo gets an Edited badge and appears rotated in thumbnails and the full view; rotating it four times returns it to the unedited state. It's the same value as 90° rotation on the Crop tab in the editor, so you can change it again or reset it there. If you need a rotated file, create a new one with Export → Crop · Rotate.

Only file operations you choose yourself change files. Each one shows what it will do before it runs.

• Rename (F2) · Organize (copy · move) · Move to Recycle Bin (Delete).
• Pasting with Ctrl+V in the grid — copies files you copied in File Explorer to the top of the first drive · folder turned on in the Volumes screen.
• Apply for video rotation — writes the rotation into the video file (unlike 90° rotation of photos, this changes the file).
• Rotate 90° for formats that can't be opened in the editor (such as BMP) — these photos are rotated and saved back to the file itself.
• External editor in the detail panel — opens the original in the external program set in Settings. If you save in that program, the original changes.

In photoKam Radar's data folder on this PC. Nothing is written into the photo files, and no extra files are created next to your photos. The exact location is the folder shown under Settings → Storage → Database path. Ratings, flags and tags are stored there too and aren't written to the photo files.

In the editor, step back one change at a time with Ctrl+Z (undo). To discard everything you changed since opening the editor this time, click Cancel at the top right; to return to the starting state, click Reset all (this can also be undone). If you save a state you like with Versions, you can go back to it at any time → Editor overview.

When you move or rename files outside the app (in File Explorer and so on), photoKam Radar sees them as new photos. So the old ratings, tags and edit values may not be linked to the photos in their new location. To move files, use Rename · Organize in the app.

The features and who can use them are the same. Anyone (including individuals, companies, institutions and commercial use) can use every feature for free. The watermark is the only difference. In the free version, exported photos and slideshows carry a faint diagonal "photoKam Radar · Free" watermark, and the same watermark is previewed on edited photos in the editor and the full view. Unedited photos and original files have no watermark. To use the app without the watermark, buy and register a full license → Free version · Full version · License registration.

It's Regular price ₩49,000, now ₩29,000 until October 15, 2026 (on sale), and you can buy it at Naver Smart Store. Send your purchase details together with this PC's activation code, and you'll be issued a license for this PC.

Yes. Under Article 1 of the Terms of Use, anyone (including individuals, companies, institutions and commercial use) can use every feature for free. To keep the watermark off exported photos and slideshows, buy and register a full license.

After registering your license, export the same photo again to create a file without the watermark. Your edit values are still there, so just click Export → Save. Files you already exported keep their watermark.

One license is for one PC, with no time limit, and it activates on the PC it was issued for. To use the app on this PC, please buy a new license for this PC. Click Purchase and license information in the window to open the information page. If you see this message on the same PC, please contact exapeak@naver.com.

When your PC's configuration changes, license activation may no longer match (the license window may show "This PC's configuration has changed, so license activation may not match."). In that case, please contact exapeak@naver.com.

Check that you pasted the license text you received in full, from start to end. If the email came with a license.PhotoKamRadar file attached, opening it with Open file is more reliable.

Not on the same PC. Uninstalling the app leaves the data folder that holds your license, photo list and edit values. If you deleted the data folder yourself, enter the license you received again.

RAW files show the camera's original data after converting it, so the first time takes a while. Meanwhile, "Converting the RAW original… (large files take a moment)" is shown, and photos you've opened once open quickly after that. If you just want to skim quickly, click View: RAW original at the top of the full view to switch to View: Camera preview (a small JPEG the camera embedded in the file). For photos on an external drive, turning on Keep drives awake while browsing in Settings makes the first photo appear faster.

This mostly appears with RAW files from newly released cameras, or when the file is damaged. If there's a JPG of the same shot, check it with Show JPG file.

Check the following, in order.

1. Check in the status bar at the bottom whether indexing is in progress (photos left). At first, it takes time to find all your photos.
2. Check that the drive is turned on under Volumes in the left sidebar. Network drives and cloud drives are off by default. If you chose A few folders, check that the folder has been added.
3. Check that the folder isn't listed under Settings → Excluded folders.
4. Check that no filters (type · camera · rating · date and so on) are applied in the toolbar → Search and filters.
5. If "N new photos · Refresh" appears above the grid, click it. To keep the list from shifting while you scroll, newly found photos are added to the list only when you click this.
6. If they're still missing, check for files with errors under Jobs in the left sidebar, and click Retry failed items only or Scan everything now.

Thumbnails are being made ("Making thumbnail" is shown in their place). Photos visible on screen are done first. If "Cannot make a thumbnail" is shown, the file is damaged or can't be opened.

The background indexer is looking for photos. In Settings → Background indexer, lower Speed to Eco, or turn off Start automatically at logon and click Stop. It pauses automatically while you use full-screen apps (games, videos) and while the computer runs on battery → Settings.

Turn on Settings → Appearance → Classic title bar. This switches to the standard Windows title bar.

Formats such as mp4 and mov play right away, while formats such as avi, m2ts and wmv are converted briefly the first time before playing ("Preparing playback…"). If "This video can't be played." appears, the file can't be opened → Video.

Map images are shown only when you're connected to the internet. Only photos with location (GPS) information appear on the map → Jump to date · Map.

Photos, videos, the photo list, ratings, tags, edit values and thumbnails are all stored only on this PC. AI features (AI denoise, automatic skin selection, portrait retouching and so on) are also processed on this PC, and your photos are never sent anywhere. The internet is used only in the cases below.

An anonymous installation number (a randomly generated number), install · update · launch · exit records and session length, app version, OS and its version, CPU type (x64 · ARM), language · region, and whether the copy is licensed. Photos, documents, file contents and paths are never sent, and neither are the number of photos or your user name. Click Off for Send anonymous usage statistics under Settings → Updates to stop sending immediately → Settings.

Not with the default settings. It's included only when you turn on Location (GPS) in the export window. Camera and lens serial numbers are also left out by default → Export.

Copy your original photos as you normally would. Ratings, tags and edit values are in the folder shown under Settings → Storage → Database path.

See the Privacy Policy on our company website.

When you press Delete or click Move to Recycle Bin, the app first asks "Move “file name” to the Recycle Bin?", and when you click Move to Recycle Bin, the file is moved to the Windows Recycle Bin (the Trash on macOS). It isn't deleted permanently, so you can restore it from the Recycle Bin.

When a photo is moved to the Recycle Bin, its records (ratings · flags · tags) are removed from the list as well. The indexer finds the restored file again and adds it to the list, but as a new photo, so the old ratings and tags don't come back and the edit values aren't linked either. Before deleting, make sure you really don't need the photo.

These files were deleted from the disk after the list was loaded. To keep positions from shifting while you scroll, they stay dimmed, and "N removed · Refresh" appears above the grid. Click it or press F5 to remove them from the list.

Another program is using the file, or the file is in a write-protected folder or on a disconnected drive. Close that program and try again ("Moved N. N could not be moved").

A moment after the app starts, it checks for a new version, and if there is one, it shows what changed in the An update is available window.

1. Click Install now to see the download progress ("N% downloaded · verify, then install"). While downloading, you can stop it with Cancel download.
2. After the downloaded file is checked for damage or tampering, the app closes and installation proceeds.
3. When installation finishes, the new version starts automatically. Your photo list, edit values, settings and license are all kept.

• Clicking Later closes the window just this once. The next time you start the app, you'll be notified again.
• Versions marked "This update is required." must be installed; there's no Later or close button.
• If the download fails, a Try again button appears. Check your internet connection.
• The macOS version is updated the same way (the An update is available window → Install now).

Set Settings → Updates → Check for updates at startup to Off. After that, updates are checked only when you click Check now.

It's shown in the description line of Check for updates now under Settings → Updates, or in the About section.

No. Uninstalling the app leaves your original photos as they are, and the data folder holding your photo list, edit values and license stays too → Download · Install · Uninstall.