HEIF / .HEIC File Support in Photoshop [2017]

Report · Sep 01, 2017

Any idea when we will be seeing support in Photoshop to handle Apple's new iOS format for pictures? The HEIF, specifically the .heic image format?

Thank you in advance,

~Scott

Report · Oct 10, 2020

it is not supported in CC 2020.

you read that this is about PC version?

Report · Oct 10, 2020

Report · Oct 11, 2020

sorry, didin't realize this is regarding the Windows version of photoshop, no problem with my mac

Report · Oct 12, 2020

Ditto, my bad.

Report · Jun 14, 2020

[removed], Adobe?!? How come Photoshop still can't open HEIF files when so many devices write them? I am used to you ignoring your Premiere Pro users (of which I am one), since the ones that stuck with it until now just don't have any alternative (Resolve is good but has its own issues), but GIMP is an excellent (and completely free) replacement for Photoshop, which supports HEIF files (among many other things they got over PS), so I would jump ship over this in a heartbeat.

Report · Dec 08, 2020

Photoshop added HEIC support on Windows this morning (version 22.1), relying on the operating system's codecs for this format:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/file-formats.html#HEIFHEIC

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/ps-heic-codec.html

"View and work with HEIF/.heic files in Photoshop on Windows by downloading and installing HEIF and HEVC codecs from the Microsoft Store."

There is one account for all things Microsoft. So your Windows 10 login works in the Microsoft Store as well.

"To successfully import HEIF/.heic files, download and install both of the HEIF and HEVC Extensions directly from Microsoft."

The first codec is free and the second costs 99¢.

Report · Mar 03, 2021

This codec doesn't work. I just downloaded it and it installs automatically on a Windows 10 PC. Photoshop will still not open an .heic file. Read the reviews for the codec, people overwhelmingly not the same thing in their reviews, the codec doesn't work. So, this is not the "correct answer".

Report · Jun 14, 2021

Ditto. It simply does not work. The Microsoft Store tells me it's installed. Yet when I click the Launch button absolutely nothing happens. Unfortunately, I can't leave a comment, because the same screen says I can't leave a comment because I don't own the app.

Right-clicking on an heic image and choosing Photoshop to open it results in an error message saying Photoshop can't open heic files.

Supposedly heic files offer better color and quality than jpg. So I'm not interested in apps that degrade heic files and convert them to jpg files, so that they can be opened in Photoshop et al. I don't understand why Adobe's software engineers can't figure out how to make Photoshop work natively with heic files.

Report · Sep 11, 2021

EASIEST WAY to deal with HEIF files since Photoshop fails;
buy Affinity Photo program for $25to30 when it's on sale.
It's not a fll PS replacement yet, but it PS is also not a full Affinity Photo replacement either!
Affinity Photo can open HEIF files without issue.. it just works.
Also, the 1 time payment Vs. Subscription bullsh*t .. is a great deal. I paid $25 for it last Black Friday.
BUY IT.. so when Photoshop fails to perform (which is too often), that you'll be able to work around their bad developer work... and let's face it, the PS developers are not as skilled like the PS developers used to be.

Report · Sep 12, 2021

@whatyouare and @CaseyGuy,

It's not a single codec. There are two codecs to be installed from Microsoft. Otherwise the operating system support is not complete and will not work.

"View and work with HEIF/.heic files in Photoshop on Windows by downloading and installing the HEIF and HEVC codecs from the Microsoft Store."

The first codec is free and the second costs 99¢.

There is one account for all things Microsoft. So your Windows 10 login works in the Microsoft Store as well.

Help page with four-step instructions:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/ps-heic-codec.html

Report · Sep 13, 2021

It does work for me; I have installed the free "HEIF Image Extensions" from the Microsoft store, and Photoshop can finally open HEIC files. Probably the last image editing software to get this feature, but they finally did it.

I feel I need to note that I haven't installed the HEVC codec (the paid one), it's not necessary for images (it's for video).

So I guess what was said in that post is correct, although not technically and answer.

Report · Sep 13, 2021

Actually that is the answer. The original question was about HEIC/HEIF support in Photoshop on Windows, and the answer is that Photoshop now supports this format via operating system codecs.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/photoshop-22-1-is-now-available/m-p/1...

Other tools (like Capture One, for example) do it the same way:

https://support.captureone.com/hc/en-us/articles/360016552258-HEIF-HEIC-file-format

"...support[s] 8-bit HEIF files to the extent that those are supported by the underlying operating system.

NOTE: Users running Windows might need to download the two extensions “HEVC Video Extensions” and “HEIF Image Extensions” from Microsoft to enable HEIF/HEIC support in Capture One."

Report · Sep 13, 2021

to be correct microsoft supports heic by signing into their store and paying 99 cent.

as i wrote before that´s not possible for everyone or less than optimal on corporate systems.

adobe has still done nothing to support heic.

Report · Sep 13, 2021

on our corporate systems we have no access to the microsoft store.

on my private system i did go to the website and installed the heif extension.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/heif-image-extensions/9pmmsr1cgpwg?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

it says it is installed (see screenshot).

but when i open photoshop and try to load sample files all i get is an error message (photoshop can not recognize the file extention). well, the filenames are xxxxxx.heif.

so i tried the windows own photo tool to see if the heif extension works.

nope, it says i need the HEVC extension (see screenshot 2).

IF adobe would natively support HEIF/HEIC all this crap would not happen....

i run the CC version of photoshop v22.5.0.

i tried my own HEIC/HEIF files and sample files from the net (in case my own HEIF files are not 100% standard conform).

@Sergiu_M-D schrieb:
It does work for me; I have installed the free "HEIF Image Extensions" from the Microsoft store, and Photoshop can finally open HEIC files. Probably the last image editing software to get this feature, but they finally did it.
I feel I need to note that I haven't installed the HEVC codec (the paid one), it's not necessary for images (it's for video).

Report · Sep 13, 2021

As noted above (and on the Help page), you need to install both codecs – HEIF and HEVC – from Microsoft Windows.

As noted above, other tools (like Capture One) do the exact same thing as Adobe in relying on codec support at the o/s level.

Report · Sep 13, 2021

As noted above (and on the Help page), you need to install both codecs – HEIF and HEVC – from Microsoft Windows.

As noted above, other tools (like Capture One) do the exact same thing as Adobe in relying on codec support at the o/s level.

By @ProDesignTools

Sergiu_M-D schrieb:
It does work for me; I have installed the free "HEIF Image Extensions" from the Microsoft store, and Photoshop can finally open HEIC files. Probably the last image editing software to get this feature, but they finally did it.
I feel I need to note that I haven't installed the HEVC codec (the paid one), it's not necessary for images (it's for video).

why should an adobe user be interested in what other companys do... i want ADOBE to do better.

Report · Sep 13, 2021

I'm the first one to criticize Adobe for their plethora of shortcumings, but refusing to use a codec provided by the maker of the OS and requesting Adobe to do it is just ridiculous. Who cares who provides the codec, as long as it's easily available from a trusted source?

Report · Sep 13, 2021

1) many corporate users don´t have access to the microsoft store.

i often think people have never worked in a big company and here are only freelancers and private citizen working on their smartphone photos. 🙂
otherwise they would have a clue how difficult it can be to get some stuff on your work PC.

2) it is 99 cent for every user. sure that´s not much ... but where will it end?

the OS is not my graphic application... adobe photoshop is.

support a format out of the box. don´t rely on third partys.

3) it i not working in my case as demonstrated. codec is installed but it does not work.

now adobe can blame microsoft and microsoft can blame adobe.... good for them, bad for the user.

Report · Sep 13, 2021

That is a lie, you only need the HEIF codec to work with HEIF images; HEVC is for video and has nothing to do with images. Since when do "Adobe Community Professional"s try to make sales for Microsoft?