MetaScope
support.

MetaScope supports 50+ formats including JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, and RAW files (CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, ORF, RW2, DNG). Video formats include MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and WebM.

MetaScope requires macOS 15.4+ (Sequoia) and is built with native SwiftUI. On macOS 26 (Tahoe) MetaScope adopts native Liquid Glass material for toolbars and system chrome. The styling is availability-gated, so there is no visual change on macOS 15.

Yes. MetaScope ships with 83 searchable help articles covering every feature, accessible from the Help menu.

Yes. MetaScope can edit metadata directly in RAW files without creating XMP sidecar files, which fits professional photography workflows where the raw files are the canonical source.

MetaScope handles batch operations on 100,000+ files with checkpoint recovery. Batch capabilities include metadata editing with templates, batch rename with stackable rules and live preview, batch date operations (7 types including GPS date sync), privacy redaction, and metadata copying with per-field review. Progress tracking keeps you informed throughout.

MetaScope exports in 9 formats: PDF, HTML, CSV, JSON, XML, Markdown, Plain Text, YAML, and XMP Sidecar (plus NDJSON for Elasticsearch). The Catalogue Card PDF export produces print-ready per-asset cards with hero image and grouped metadata. The Document Export wizard offers portfolio generation with 6 typography presets, custom watermarks, and cover page templates.

Yes. Workspace Presets (3 built-in: Minimal, Standard, Full, plus custom presets) control field visibility and ordering. Create up to 8 custom Info Panel tabs from the 125-field registry with drag-to-reorder arrangement. The Editor has a search/filter bar (Cmd+F), a category dropdown, an adaptive two-column grid at 700pt+ width, and safety indicators for field types.

Metadata Search provides full-text search across all 125 metadata fields with a source-list sidebar, a compact filter bar with chip toggles, and advanced filters in popovers. Smart Collections auto-update as metadata changes. Three built-in collections (Untagged Files, Geotagged Photos, 5-Star Rated) are included, and custom collections can be built from any filter combination. Pro feature.

Smart Collections are dynamic query-based groups that auto-update as metadata changes. They integrate with Metadata Search and require the metadata index to be built. Saved Sets persist a named selection. Pro feature.

On first use, macOS prompts for Photos permissions. Approve to browse albums and assets natively. You can adjust access later in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos.

Yes. Unified video preview with parity controls across Files and Photos for MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and WebM. MetaScope supports full video metadata editing including Dublin Core, QuickTime, and Production and Media fields (genre, director, producer, composer). GPS batch operations work for video files.

MetaScope Pro unlocks 11 advanced features: Smart Collections, Linked Metadata Profiles, Custom Metadata Fields, Controlled Vocabularies, Transformation Rules, Extended Keyword Rules, Metadata Search, Metadata Copying with Review, Document Export, Catalogue Card Export, and Custom Label Sets. Pro is €5.99/month or €49.99/year. The free tier includes full read access and up to 5 metadata edits per day.

Linked Profiles are named presets that apply multiple metadata fields at once: copyright bundles, contact info, workflow tags. Expression tokens like {filename}, {year}, and {date:format} resolve dynamically when applied. Apply from the Editor header, toolbar, or with Cmd+Shift+P. Pro feature.

Custom fields use the ms: XMP namespace. Choose data types (text, number, date, list, boolean), set validation rules and allowed values, and import or export definitions as JSON for team sharing. Data is stored as standard XMP, either embedded or in sidecar files. Pro feature.

Yes. Transformation Rules with 11 operators and 15 action types, Extended Keyword Rules with regex matching and hierarchy templates, and Linked Metadata Profiles with expression tokens. Rules and profiles can be imported or exported for team sharing. Pro features.

MetaScope uses security-scoped bookmarks for persistent access. If prompts stop appearing, go to Settings → Advanced → Reset Security-Scoped Bookmarks. Version 1.1.2 also performs a one-time refresh after upgrade.

Use Load Full Now to fetch deep metadata on demand. Long operations are cancelable, and very large tag sets are paged to keep the UI responsive.

The metadata index needs to be built before searching. Verify auto-ingest folders are configured correctly, or use the re-index option to rebuild the search index. Files must be in a supported format.