PhotoMove sorts photos and videos into date folders on your Windows PC. Before a big Copy or Move, it helps to see where files would go — and to reverse the last batch if something looks wrong.
Two features in Step 4 handle that: Preview and Undo Last Copy/Move. Both are included in the Free version. They are in the latest PhotoMove download.
Preview means PhotoMove shows you what would happen without changing any files yet.
Preview before Copy or Move
In Step 4 you will see a checkbox:
Preview before Copy or Move.
It is On by default.
When Preview is On and you click COPY or MOVE, PhotoMove first runs the same path logic without:
- creating folders
- copying or moving files
- writing Takeout dates into files
A confirmation dialog appears. It shows:
- how many files will be copied or moved
- sample destination paths
No cancels. Nothing changes.
Yes runs the real Copy or Move.
Uncheck the checkbox if you want the old one-click Copy/Move with no preview.
Command-line and automation runs do not show the preview dialog.
Undo Last Copy/Move
Also in Step 4: the button Undo Last Copy/Move.
It stays hidden until a Copy or Move batch finishes successfully. After that batch, the button appears.
Undo reverses only the last completed batch. It is not a full history. Starting a new Copy or Move replaces the previous undo opportunity.
Clicking Find (or starting a new Find) hides the Undo button again. The old results are stale. You must Copy or Move again before Undo returns.
After Undo finishes — or if there is nothing to undo — the button is hidden again.
Use Undo before you start another Copy/Move or Find.
What Undo does after a Copy
PhotoMove deletes the destination copies created by that batch. It skips a file if it is missing or its size no longer matches what PhotoMove logged (for example, you edited the destination file). Skipped files are reported.
What Undo does after a Move
PhotoMove moves files from the destination back to the original source path when that is safe (destination exists, source does not). It skips and reports unsafe cases — source already exists, destination missing, or other errors.
When Undo finishes, you get a short summary: how many files were restored or removed, and how many were skipped (with notes when relevant).
What Undo does not do
- It does not undo multiple past batches.
- It does not guarantee that empty destination folders are removed.
- It does not undo changes if you already moved, edited, or deleted files outside PhotoMove in a way that fails the safety checks.
- It is not a substitute for backups. Prefer Copy first when you are testing.
- It does not restore a file that was overwritten at the destination. If Copy or Move replaced an existing destination file (for example Pro duplicate handling set to Overwrite), Undo removes or moves back this batch’s files — it does not bring back whatever was there before the overwrite.
- PhotoMove may warn you before a run that includes changes Undo cannot fully reverse. Read the warning; use Copy, Skip, or Rename when you want a safer fallback.
Recommended workflow
- Set source and destination folders. Click Find.
- Leave Preview before Copy or Move On.
- Click COPY (safer than Move while you are checking).
- Read the preview dialog. Choose Yes only if the sample destinations look right.
- Check the destination folders on disk.
- If something is wrong, click Undo Last Copy/Move before you Find or Copy again.
- When you are sure, use MOVE only if you still need it — with Preview On again.
More on the main screen: Using PhotoMove — Step By Step. Sorting a Google Takeout folder: Google Photos Takeout and PhotoMove.
Need the program? Download PhotoMove Free.
FAQ
Is Preview the same as Find?
No. Find discovers dates and builds the list of files. Preview shows where Copy or Move would put those files, without changing anything yet.
Does Undo work after I close PhotoMove?
Plan to use Undo in the same workflow, before you start another Copy/Move or Find. Do not count on reopening the program later to reverse an older batch.
Why did Undo skip some files?
Common reasons: the destination file is missing, its size changed (you edited it), the source path already exists again after a Move, or Windows returned an error. The summary lists what was skipped.
Are Preview and Undo Free or Pro?
Both are Free. You do not need PhotoMove Pro for Preview or Undo.
Should I use Copy or Move?
Use Copy first. That leaves the originals in place while you check the result. Use Move only when you are sure. Preview and Undo make both safer, but Copy is still the better first step.
Does Preview run when I use the command line?
No. Command-line and automation runs do not show the preview dialog.