PhotoSanitize can inspect a sanitized output after it has been created to check whether the applicable processing requirements were satisfied. This is called post-sanitization verification.
Verification is enabled by default in the predefined profiles. It is separate from sanitization itself, which is why an image can be created successfully but still have a failed verification result.
Automatic verification
When Verify sanitized image after processing is enabled, PhotoSanitize runs the applicable checks after producing the output file.
Once processing finishes, highlight the image in the Photo Queue and open Verification. The tab displays the overall result and the individual checks that were performed.
If all required checks pass, the result is VERIFIED. If one or more fail, the result is FAILED, and the affected checks can be examined individually.
The checks depend on the file, format, selected profile, and operations performed. They can cover properties such as the output structure, metadata cleanup, expected container characteristics, and applicable redaction requirements.
Not every operation produces exactly the same set of checks.
Understanding individual results
Each verification entry identifies the check and its outcome, with additional information where available. PASS means the relevant condition was satisfied, while FAIL indicates that it was not.
For example, a failure may concern information remaining in the output that should have been removed under the selected settings. A different failure could relate to a property of the resulting file or a required output condition.
Examine the actual message rather than treating every failure as interchangeable. The appropriate response depends on which check failed.
The summary also shows how many checks passed out of the total performed.
Sanitized does not always mean verified
An image marked as sanitized has had an output created. That alone does not establish that the output passed verification.
If the queue reports a verification failure, open the Verification tab before using the file. You may need to repeat processing from the original with suitable settings or investigate an unsupported file characteristic.
This distinction matters particularly when working with batches. One photograph may pass every check while another produces a valid image file that does not meet the selected cleanup requirements.
Running verification again
You can run verification again for an existing sanitized result associated with the current session.
- Highlight the image in the Photo Queue.
- Choose Verify Output.
- When the operation finishes, open Verification to inspect the result.
This is useful when automatic verification was disabled or when a previous verification operation was interrupted.
The new check still concerns the recorded sanitized output and the settings associated with its processing.
SHA-256 fingerprints
The Verification tab also provides SHA-256 fingerprints for the original and sanitized files when available.
These identify the exact file contents and can help distinguish an output from its source or from other processed versions.
Different input and output fingerprints are normal because removing metadata or changing the image alters the file’s bytes.
A fingerprint is not the same as a verification result. It identifies file contents but does not establish whether the selected cleanup succeeded.
What a successful result means
VERIFIED indicates that the applicable technical checks passed. It does not prove that every sensitive detail in the visible picture was detected, that the image is anonymous, or that it is suitable for every recipient.
PhotoSanitize cannot determine whether someone has consented to publication or whether a visible landmark reveals a private location.
For personal photographs, inspect the output before sharing it. For professional or organizational work, combine verification with any appropriate final image review and approval procedure.
Where records are required, export a report or retain the Enterprise Certificate of Sanitization rather than relying only on the current application workspace.