Issue in importing images received via Whatsapp

[dzgnr89]

This has been a recurring issue in InDesign for many years. I'm currently using Indesign CC 20201 (16.2.1). This error message pops up everytime I try to import a photo received via whatsapp in Indesign. 

I have to open the photo in MS paint, save it. Then it imports fine in InDesign. Why does a simple bare bones app like MS paint is able to open such images perfectly while Indesign struggles to open it? I've been facing this issue since 2016 in InDesign and always been doing this mspaint workaround. 

This was also reported as a bug here in September 2019

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/38525368-in...

[Manan Joshi]

Hi @dzgnr89,

The link you posted shows that an Adobe engineer has acknowleged this issue. Now when they will choose to fix it is something that their engineering managers will decide. It's better you post a reminder on that post and ask your teammates to upvote the issue. The more votes are placed, the better are the chances for the issue to move up the queue for fix.

-Manan

[Test Screen Name]

The problem is that Whatsapp saves images that are actually broken but can be repaired. I suspect there is a debate about whether a professional app should accept and fix broken images (which may have other issues that could damage a professional workflow). Best not to use Whatsapp to transfer info intended for professional use. There are much better ways; Whatsapp is a chat app and deliberately degrades quality to keep the chat small and fast.

[Manan Joshi]

Hi @Test Screen Name,

This sounds interesting, do you have any links to read about it. I am curious to know how does a broken image help Whatsapp in image transfer, Degrading the image quality would surely save some bandwidth which would eventually add up to a lot of bandwidth on the scale at which Whatsapp operates. However broken images does not ring a bell automatically, so it would be nice to know more about it

-Manan

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

Some discussion: https://superuser.com/questions/1516608/why-photoshop-cant-open-whatsapp-images

[eqcpd.nl]

I alway open the images in Photoshop and then re-save them. Also let my clients know not to send images via WhatsApp.
The application heavily downsaples the images, so the quality of WhatsApp images is really bad.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Most amateur/business/nongraphics users have little or no idea how all the magic happens in social media, and assume that its perfection for insta-communication extends to all aspects. The notion that an image from their iPhone might not reach someone through WhatsApp or Discord or Teams in perfect condition is... outside their grasp.

That anyone even slightly into pro territory — enough to be using Adobe tools — doesn't understand this is... dismaying.