The scan runs entirely through AJAX, processing one database table at a time with a live progress bar. This means it works reliably on large sites with tens of thousands of images and hundreds of database tables — no PHP timeouts, no white screens, no memory errors.

You can watch the scan work through each table in real time. It doesn't just check Joomla core content. Out of the box, SE Image Cleaner knows about SP Page Builder, K2, EasyBlog, VirtueMart, Kunena, JCE, Akeeba Engage, and many more popular extensions. When you choose the "Scan All Tables" mode, it goes further and checks every text column in every table in your database, catching references you might not even know existed. When orphans are found, you're in full control. Preview thumbnails to jog your memory.

Filter and sort by filename, size, or date. Select the ones you want to deal with and either move them to the built-in trash folder or delete them permanently. The trash folder acts as a safety net — images sit there until you're ready to permanently remove them, and can be restored to their original location at any time. For images that appear as orphans but you know are used in template files, CSS, or hardcoded in custom code, the safe list feature lets you mark them as protected. Safe-listed images are automatically skipped in all future scans, so you won't keep seeing the same false positives.

SE Image Cleaner is completely self-contained. It doesn't create any database tables, doesn't need cron jobs, and has no external dependencies. Install the component, run a scan, and start cleaning. The entire component can be removed just as cleanly as it was installed.