P: (Windows only): HEIC Files not supported with active subscription

[Shelley_A]

I am seeing a warning on LR desktop all HEIC files saying HEIC files are not supported without a subscription. However I do have an active subscription, and I am able to edit those files on LR mobile, and on a second PC. I have tried restarting LR, logging out and back in, reinstalling LR and doing a full preferences reset. Also did double/triple check that my account is up to date and I am logged in correctly.

I can view, organise & caption all my images, but I cannot edit them. I can edit jpg files, just not HEIC. This only started a few days ago. 

I contacted Adobe support. After about 2 hours they ended by saying "We have never seen this issue before" .

Image is not available

They said they will get their engineering team to have a look at it, but I have not heard back.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I cannot find any other thread, can you please supply a link? This is REALLY frustrating ....

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Replying to myself here - I have found that when using Icloud via the web interface from a windows PC (and I assume a linux or other less common device that has a typical web browser) - I can only access files as JPG.

I was able to use a macbook running OSX and I could access a sample of files across a wide date range and all were in HEIC when accessed from the macbook, including those files that are in Icloud and not on my phone.

I haven't accessed the video files to do a likewise comparison of video between the icloud browser download vs. the Apple photos download on an OSX macbook, imac or tablet / mac mini etc. but still, I'm now assuming that the full quality originals ARE stored in the icloud, but that Apple has a policy to allow downloads from Icloud (assuming it's not on a phone anymore) only at full quality if you have an Apple device to initiate the download on.

I might be cynical, but perhaps that's one reason why it's tough not getting the full quality version via eg. Lightroom, as Apple & Adobe might still be working out things, much like I'm sure Microsoft would like users to be able to get full / original quality HEIC downloads from the web version of icloud on windows, not only a JPG. So the delays might be due to internal apple negotiations, or those in conjunction with shareholders and other external stakeholders such as Microsoft, and Adobe, who are sometimes also competitors. Anyway, I've not tested it recently, but I did read that you could use an less-than-current version of Lightroom on PC and be able to export. Has anyone confirmed that?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Hi Countess, maybe I'm misunderstanding but without saying so, I think it's already 'merged'. When I scroll up I see post 2 has a comment by Rikk where he writes:

"

Thanks.

I did find that we do have a bug logged for this (Windows Users Only) that should be fixed in the next update.  I am sorry but I do not have an ETA to share. "

I'm guessing that unless you're on eg. some level where you can get tens of thousands of employees to all forget profit motives and competition, without simultaneously a government and their tens of thousands of employees calling racket and monopoly or illegal collaboration in a competitive capitalistic environment, all at once, we're just going to have to wait. Or it could be just a technical issue with some buggy code, and some tech who worked a decade took a year off and no one knows how to fix it till they return 😉 Either way, my bro said he was thinking of buying a mac mini, and I believe you can run lightroom and access icloud via one of those at a lower cost than via other methods, even though it's yet another piece of hardware in houses that are already probably overflowing with tech hardware...

[Shelley_A]

It seems that the most recent LR Desktop update has resolved the issue with HEIC files, finally. At least it has for me. Thanks team.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Greetings,

Updates to Lightroom Classic and the Lightroom Ecosystem products for Desktop, Mobile and Web were released today. After installing the updates (x.3) please confirm if you still see this issue after updating.

[Michael Hawkins]

Dear Rikk,

With the newest update, this error has started occuring for me as well. Are you aware of it at Adobe? 

[kyled17294763]

Yup, looks like it is back for me as well.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Please see: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-ecosystem-cloud-based-bugs/p-windows-only-heic-files-not-su... and see if this is your issue.

[Michael Hawkins]

As far as I can see in the thread, the issue was fixed by an update. This issue is probably caused by the newest update.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

@Michael Hawkins  Apologies, I posted the wrong link. Please see: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-ecosystem-cloud-based-bugs/p-heic-files-edit-in-ps-fails-fo... 

[Michael Hawkins]

So I can only use HEIC-files if I upload them to the cloud first? Is there an eta on when the issue with opening HEIC-files from desktop will be solved?

[stevenc31944759]

Same issue - you guys spend too much time on blocking access to your products, you forget to MAKE THEM WORK CORRECTLY. This is pathetic. I don't have time in my workflow to waste on this garbage. Seriously, I've already wholly dumped premier, premier rush, incopy, indesign, for canva and capcut. 

[Tru3069294120b1]

lol He is rigth ! 

[Jennifer LM]

November 2023 I'm having the same issue ... can't install HEIC files from my iPhone and process/export them. 

[Mattis241001244r2c]

Same issue, glad to be paying this much money for software that can't manage to fix an issue for over 2 years. Latest version of Adobe LR freshly installed. Business license for Adobe CC. Would be great if you could also allow bridge to properly resize HEIC to JPEGS that are not thumbnail sized..

[Mary Ann Zanoff33]

 Sad to report that I am experiencing the same issue.  I recently purchase LR about 6 month ago.  So, software is current and subscription is active.  

[bstill2183]

So I am having the same HEIC not supported without active subscription error as well and have found that if I sync the photos to the cloud and then export them - it works.

[CrimsonMao]

Hello, 

I am getting the same error now, I have active subscription. What should I do?

[Matthias3418456154tw]

I am having the same problem. When I try to export heic fotos to jpg, I am getting the message, that this is only possible with an active subscription, which I have....

Please help what we can do? Otherwise I cannot make use this software...

And please remove this misleading "correct answer" from June 2021, it seems more people have this same problem in 2023. Thanks