Frequently asked questions about Yagua
Answers about using Yagua, privacy, and its tools.
About Yagua
What is Yagua?
Yagua is a free, open-source desktop app for converting, compressing, and working with images. It includes tools for resizing, removing backgrounds, extracting text, and managing metadata.
Is Yagua free?
Yes. Yagua is distributed under the MIT License and does not require a subscription.
Which operating systems does Yagua support?
Packages are available for Windows and Linux. macOS is in development. Availability may vary by version; check the notes for each GitHub release.
Does Yagua send my images over the internet?
Images are processed on your computer; Yagua does not send them to an image-processing service. Some features need internet access to download models or check for updates. If you open an image's GPS coordinates in a map, those coordinates are sent to Google Maps.
Can I use Yagua offline?
Yes. Once the required models are downloaded, you can use OCR and Background Removal offline. You need internet access to download other models or check for updates.
Do I need a dedicated graphics card?
No. OCR and Background Removal can run on your computer's CPU. Processing time and memory use depend on your device, image resolution, and batch size.
Which image formats does Yagua support?
It depends on the tool, available codecs, and operating system. Check the formats guide to see what each operation supports.
How many images can I process at once?
Most batch operations support up to 100 images; OCR and Background Removal support up to 10. Color Palette, LQIP/Base64, and EXIF editing support one image at a time. Check the limits for each tool in your version.
Does Yagua overwrite my original files?
Most tools save results separately. Batch Rename changes filenames in their current location, and Edit EXIF overwrites the image after asking for confirmation. Work with copies when using those operations.
Tools
What is the difference between Convert and Compress?
Convert changes the file format and, when available, lets you adjust quality. Compress tries to reduce file size without changing the format. An already optimized image may not get smaller; the result can even be larger.
How does Background Removal work?
It uses an AI model to create an image with transparency. The first model download may require internet access. Output formats depend on the options available in your version.
Which languages can OCR recognize?
You can choose Spanish, English, or both. The interface language does not change OCR languages. Check the result: OCR can make mistakes when an image is blurry or the text is hard to read.
What can I do with image metadata?
You can view and export metadata, edit some fields, or clean metadata in batches. Edit EXIF overwrites the selected image after asking for confirmation; batch cleaning saves copies to the folder you choose.
Help
Why does the first OCR or Background Removal operation take longer?
Yagua may need to download models and initialize the AI engine. Later operations can reuse models saved on your computer.
Why can't I open or convert an image?
Compatibility depends on the format, tool, and codecs available on your system. Try a PNG or JPEG copy. If the problem continues, note the tool, format, and error message.
How do I update Yagua?
Yagua notifies you in the app when a new version is available. You can also check manually under Settings → Updates → Check for updates.
How do I report a problem?
Open an issue on GitHub and include your Yagua version, operating system, tool, and steps to reproduce the problem. Review logs before attaching them: they may contain file paths or names.
Looking for step-by-step instructions?
Find installation steps, tool limits, and detailed troubleshooting in the documentation.