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HEIF / .HEIC File Support in Photoshop [2017]

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
September 1, 2017
38 replies
191600 views

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

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Correct answer ProDesignTools

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¢.

Show previous replies

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Anonymous

Hope Adobe will add support to it soon. Now you can handle this issue by transferring the files to Dropbox or directly using a free HEIC converter on PC.

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Alan Shutko

Inspiring

The new Lightroom Classic CC doesn't support it yet, but I can open HEIC files in Photoshop CC 2018 now!

Jymnazium

Participating Frequently

As I read it, it says Adobe Camera Raw supports HEIF. Does Elements use that too?

Tried opening doing an "open as" on a HIEC file using the Camera Raw and it never could translate it. I confirmed that I'm using the latest version of Camera Raw. I suspect the list that shows Apple products supported are based on iOS 10 and below, not the newer 11.

JROP

Inspiring

Windows and Photoshop should be supporting this; just as Adobe supports each camera (Canon, Nikon, etc's) propitiatory RAW formats, they should support this as well. As much income as they are raking in with the subscription service they should be able to put some funds towards this.

Abambo

Community Expert

Let's see what the next upgrade of Camera Raw offers...

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

khoat47558960

Participant

Hey guys, this is my online tool help to convert ios 11 photo in format heic to jpg. Feel free to let me know if you have any comments or feedback, thank you! I just wanna share with you all my product, could you possibly dont thinking me is spamer or just ask me I will delete my comment, thank you!

http://freetoolonline.com/heic-to-jpg.html

M

michaelr37294015

Participant

Your converter tool works great. Thank you!

C

CSMR

Participating Frequently

There has been a huge gap in the market for a long time for a good file format with >8bpc, good compression efficiency and lossless support.

Unfortunately JPEG XR failed to take off because Adobe did not support it. HEIF is potentially even better as it is based on H.265 so will benefit from hardware decoding and is easier to implement as it can use reuse existing encoding and decoding technology to a large extent.

Since Apple is promoting it, Adobe will have to support it, and from there it can easily take over from TIFF.

Abambo

Community Expert

Here are some assumptions, that I would like to comment:

Could you please tell me the source of your statement that HEIF is based on H.256?
It does seam to me, that not Adobe failed JPEG XR, but the camera manufacturer. If they would have supported the format, you can be sure that Adobe would have been there to support it too. Apple is a camera manufacturer in this sense.
the tradeof of a better compression is mostly increased processor load. Therefore, you have compression techniques lifting of, when the time is right, as it was the case with mpeg. I had once a mpeg hardware decoder in a pc, just for being able to play mpeg 1 videos.

I‘m sure that the HEIF technology will be a success, as Apple puts its power beheind. But not all, what is promoted by Apple becomes a success. Think only of the lightning connector. Who else uses it?

As I see Adobe, Adobe creates standards (DNG, TIFF) and follows them. But as a company you need to have a sustainable buisness behind. Adobe will for sure implement a reader able to work with the Apple image file formats. But first let Adobe do its homework with Lr.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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Oliver-J

Known Participant

Watch this to find out everything you need to know about HEVC and HEIF: Introducing HEIF and HEVC - WWDC 2017 - Videos - Apple Developer

I'm not so sure on what the next sustainable codec will be - just like when HTML 5 came out and there was an arms race in terms of browser/codecs, there is potentially another arms race to create the next gen video codec all over again. An alliance between pretty much every other technology company apart from Apple has formed to deliver a potential rival to HEVC: Alliance for Open Media - About Us

Abambo

Community Expert

Why do you do a redirection via Facebook with your link? I'm not quite sure that you should use this link, except if you have a logic explanation for all your downloads on thet site: Photoshop CS3 lite (does not exist as a product), Windows 7 lite (does not exist as a product), Microsoft Office 2003 lite...

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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Wilson Laidlaw

Known Participant

I too hope that HEIC support arrives soon. Time the antediluvian lossy and artefact ridden JPEG was consigned to the dustbin of history. Of course we will then need to have an app to trawl through all our images and convert them to HEIC. I just hope that HEIC has been optimised for performance not for compression size. Storage is cheap other than on iPhones. Apple could have really wowed the world by adding a micro-SD storage slot (waterproof of course) to their iPhone 8 or X.

Abambo

Community Expert

See here: Photoshop/Lightroom: HEIF support for iOS 11 | Photoshop Family Customer Community

There is no reason to convert existing JPEG files to a new lossy format. It will also take a long time to get all your applications reading the new format. you need to be patient, not only with Adobe.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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Oliver-J

Known Participant

First a little correction - it's not Apple's image format. The formats of HEIF and HEVC were developed by MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group), similar to JPEG that developed the JPG format.

Right now there is no way to export a .heic file from the Mac OS Photos app for photos that were uploaded to iCloud from the iOS 11 devices (only standard image formats are offered). Sending a heic file via airdrop from iOS 11 device to a mac also results in a standard file type (jpg) being received.

Moving from one lossy filetype to another irks me so hopefully, as more apps offer support for it, Apple will allow the heic files to be exported from iOS devices and the MacOS Photos library.

anılb48196322

Participant

Dropbox allows you with the iOS app to select if you want to transfer it in JPEG or HEIC file format. Anyhow now it's not supported by the adobe apps, so you will have to continue using the usual JPEG until they release an update.

JJMack

Community Expert

Adobe does not publicize their plans they may have for their products.You could ask on their feedback site. However, I would not expect that you to get a reply from Adobe here in a user forum or on their feedback site. You could also as Apple to write a Plug-in for Photoshop to handle their file format. How do you even access IOS files.

JJMack