Can edited photographs retain original evidence?¶

Yes. Edited copies can retain scene detail and metadata, while originals, thumbnails, backups or version history may preserve more.

Editing creates a file lineage¶

Cropping, filtering, resizing and export can rewrite dimensions, timestamps and metadata. Some tools retain an original with reversible edits; others create a reduced derivative.

Reconstruct what changed¶

Compare filenames, hashes where available, dimensions, metadata, visual content, edit-app records, cloud versions and shared copies. Installed editing software does not prove this image was manipulated. Preserve originals and derivatives separately.