P: Can't open Canon HIF / HEIC Files

[defaultxv01dwkghya9]

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?

[Tanja2014]

you need to install the extentions from the microsoft store as mentioned by adobe.

in fact you have to BUY the HEVC extention from microsoft as it seems.

HEIF/HEIC

Modern camera devices provide the capability to capture HEIF/.heic photos.

    macOS - Photoshop supports HEIF/.heic files running on macOS High Sierra v10.13 or later.
    Windows - To successfully view and edit HEIF/.heic files into Photoshop, download and install both of the HEIF and HEVC CODECs directly from Microsoft.

[defaultxv01dwkghya9]

Yes, I've installed / bought those and still no luck. Windows doesn't want to open them either.

[Tanja2014]

sorry i missed that part in your post.... i wrote to quick.

i face a similiar issue. but in my case i don´t have or want a MS store account.

i have the HEIC extention installed (it is free and installs without a MS store account) but photoshop won´t open HEIC files.
so i guessed it is because i don´t have the HEVC extention installed.

adobe was not willing to pay for a license it seems.

they rather let their customer pay for something other applications offer for free.

try these:

https://filesamples.com/formats/heic

if they work it is probably more a canon issue.

[defaultxv01dwkghya9]

Those samples work. In fact I have opened samples from an iPhone as well. It does look like Canon's interpretation of the format is different but who is right?

[michaelk5102444]

We are having the same issue on Macs with the HIF from EOS R5 and R6 cameras.  

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I searched around and have not come across any solutions. Actually, this is the closest thread that I have seen so far talking about the issue. 

Just bought the Canon R6 and messed around with the settings. I normally shoot JPEGs with RAW files. For some reason, I turned on HDR PQ settings and it switched my JPEGs files settings to HEIF. However, when I plug in my SD card to my Mac, the files end in .HIF. 

If the files ended in .heic, then https://heictojpg.com/ might have worked. 

[andreylv]

As I see, there is only 8 bit heic support, Canon nas 10 bit heic. So, ironically, new version of Photoshop can load file from phone, but not from photo camera 🙂

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

any progress on this? I accidentally shot a bunch of shots in HIF and am irked

[defaultxv01dwkghya9]

It doesn’t look like it. The latest version of Photoshop still doesn’t open them. It tells you that third party software is required in the form of the Windows 10 HEIC photo extensions. These don’t work either as they only seem to support 8bit HEIC files. The only software that opens the Canon files seems to be their own DPP software. There are similar problems in the video world with 10bit HEVC files. Very disappointing- I wish Canon, Adobe and Microsoft would talk to each other.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

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.

[x3DGime]

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.). 

[Piyush20]

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.

[Piyush20]

*its NOT even

[Niclas29483306d004]

There is a canon heif extension for dpp. 

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

[kunanan]

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