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Participant
Dec 8, 2020 12:36 PM UTC
Open for Voting

P: Can't open Canon HIF / HEIC Files

The new version of Photoshop V22.1.0 promises support for HEIC files but I still can't open the Canon HIF files produced by the R5 and R6. I believe these are HEIC format but they won't open even after installing Windows 10 HEIC and HEVC extensions or renaming the file to .HEIC. Only the Canon DPP app opens them at present. There was also a Canon firmware update that promised improved compatability but this makes no difference. Is it a Canon or Adobe problem?

19 replies

waterdance
Participant
Oct 1, 2026 2:20 PM UTC

As a practical workaround, it may be easier to convert the HIF/HEIC files to a more widely supported format such as JPG or PNG before opening them in Photoshop. That avoids compatibility issues between Canon’s HIF implementation and Adobe/Windows codecs.You can do the conversion quickly with an online HEIC-to-JPG converter

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LiquidFractal
Known Participant
Feb 10, 2025 6:49 AM UTC

@TexPhoto12 I don't actually see all those options in my Preferences. I'm using Camera RAW 17.1.0.2100 and when I click the Settings wheel I only get three options:

 

  1. General (Appearance, Panels, Zoom and Pan, Keyboard Shortcuts)
  2. Performance (Use Graphics Processor, Camera Raw Cache settings)
  3. Technology Previews (Use New AI Features/Settings Panel or not)

 

Nowhere do I see anything to do with File Handling in any of the headings.

 

I, too, am feeling a little jilted about the lack of native support for Canon HIF files...especially given how much we pay these people.

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Participant
Feb 1, 2025 1:21 AM UTC

The way to fix this is to open preferences for Photoshop > Camera Raw then select Automatically open all supported JPEGs  and HIECs.

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Participant
Jul 30, 2024 6:42 AM UTC

If struggling with this issue still i have used this website called https://mergetwoimages.com/heic-to-jpg heic to png, jpg conversion and it works great you can also give a try its not much reliable but it will done the job for you

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kunanan
Participant
Oct 8, 2023 10:09 AM UTC

Try out this HEIC file example at https://filesampleshub.com/format/image/heic

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Participant
Apr 19, 2023 10:27 AM UTC

There is a canon heif extension for dpp. 

Windows is not able to handle. Seems like have to go to MAC.

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Participant
Jul 19, 2022 11:26 AM UTC

*its NOT even

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Participant
Jul 19, 2022 11:22 AM UTC

Hi sir , i have been facing the same problems like others 
However like many of you suggested , I tried the canons dpp software 
but its even showing or opening .hif files , its just blank when i open the HIF folder
Any help would be appreciated, Thank you.

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x3DGime
Known Participant
Mar 9, 2022 7:59 PM UTC

0. This is 2022.MAR.09., we are paying huge amounts on money for CC subscriptions, but Adobe still did not made anything to be able to open Canon HIF files for about 2 years! 😞 

1. Canon's HIF is 10 bit.

2. Canon Digital Photo Professional (or DPP, a free app for Canon owners) can convert that HIF to JPG, TIFF8, TIFF16.

I suggest to convert HIF files to TIFF16 (16bit TIFF) with DPP, and then you can go to Bridge/CameraRaw/Ps with that TIFF16 file if it needed.

Or You can edit the HIFs completely in DPP, without using any Adobe app, and then save to any format You want (JPG for web, TIFF16 for art print etc.). 

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Inspiring
May 31, 2021 2:25 AM UTC

Not sure if it is a Adobe or Canon problem, but I have to say it it mostly Canon, since they put out this format that nobody else supports. The only way I know of working with HIF files (on Windows 10) is by opening them in Canon's Digital Photo Professional 4 (yes, this is the only application that will open HIF files that I know of in Windows), then having the file transferred/opened up Adobe Photoshop.  When you do that, it will be a TIF file. For me, kinda useless since I don't work with TIF files and don't want to go through various conversions.

Until/unless this is resolved, I am only going to have my Canon EOSR5 save in jpg format. Not worth the trouble at this point to use Canons HIF files.

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