HEIF / .HEIC File Support in Photoshop [2017]

[SCSDDan]

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

[Guest]

Sorry ,

I just connected my iPhone to computer and had a look a the original formats and they are indeed HEIC.

I'm just surprised that my computer still does not export the photos in HEIC.

Does that mean I need to convert HEIC to JPG ?

How to Convert HEIC to JPG Format on Windows 10/8/7 in 3 Ways

[HxHippy]

I'm able to open them via google drive - right click - open with pixlr - when I do, and hit save, it says to save as .jpg for anyone else in a pinch, this can work, albeit slow.

[kayleec15560006]

It is said that Adobe has begun to roll out support for HEIC photos from iPhone starting from Adobe Camera Raw and Adobe Lightroom CC.

Adobe Lightroom Raw: You can use it to open HEIC image from iOS 11 iPhone iPad.

Adobe Lightroom CC: Both Lightroom CC for iPhone and Lightroom CC for iPad now allows you to import HEIC images for editing.

However, it is not sure that your Windows PC and Mac computer can open the edited pictures when you backup the HEIC photos to computer without changing the format, as native Windows Photo Viewer and Photos app on Macs shipped with MacOS lower than 10.13 have no ability to open HEIC images.

Therefore, you need third-party HEIC viewers to help you out. Or, just convert HEIC to jpg that is more compatible with software and platforms.

[tedwyer]

"Windows 10 build 17123

This RS4 build adds support for HEIF, an image container that leverages modern codecs like HEVC to improve quality, compression, and capabilities over earlier formats like JPEG, GIF, and PNG. HEIF also supports encoding image sequences, image collections, auxiliary images like alpha or depth maps, live images and video, audio, and HDR."

HEVC is native in the April/May consumer release of Windows 10.

[CSMR]

Photoshop does not support WIC and therefore Windows support doesn't automatically give Photoshop support. JPEG XR for example does not have Photoshop CC support for either decoding or encoding although it is supported by Windows for both.

Regardless, HEIF is not supported until both viewing and editing are there. Microsoft is being more serious about this and its announcement suggests full support will be there in a subsequent release. Adobe is at an earlier state of development and its press releases are less honest, although the need and momentum behind this format should lead to support in Photoshop in future.

[DGrisafe]

Yes, When will Adobe Lightroom Classic support the HEIF file type?

[yiliay66316563]

Actually no concrete support for HEIC from Photoshop. When I apply heic image to my PS app, it cannot be recognzie instantly. That is to say, I cannot view it to show in Photoshop, let alone get actual support. If you want to realize it, you should know how to take the aid of heic convert jpg tool. It can do batch conversion for you, identify all types of heic images, keep EXIF info, etc.

Of course, to avoid such a troublesome problem, you can go to your iPhone’s camera setting to select “Most Compatible” as your output format.

More info about HEIC, you should not miss this heic converter software.

[k.schuster]

It's easy to convert HEIC files on a Mac running High Sierra v 10.13.4 (maybe other OS version too) to a TIFF. Double-click the HEIC file to open it in Preview. Then File > Export to see a menu of formats. Presumably, the TIFF file retains most if not all of the data.

[jays85562904]

It is not in Adobe's interest to support an open format like HEIC or HEIF. They would prefer to have the proprietary format model that MSFT uses, e.g., (.doc). You can read about those formats here: https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/what-is-heic-3660408/

If you want to join a group that is pushing for Adobe's Lightroom adoption of HEIC - consider this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255453151688912/ 

[Test Screen Name]

If I were Adobe I’d be Waiting to see if HEIC catches on, or if it’s another victory of hype and optimism like JPEG 2000 was, before agreeing to pay $25 million annual subscription for the privilege of writing their own code.

[jays85562904]

HEIC is the file format name Apple has chosen for the new HEIF standard. HEIF stands for High Efficiency Image Format, and, as the name suggests, is a more streamlined way to store image files. Using advanced, modern compression methods it allows digital photographs to be created in smaller files sizes, all while retaining higher image quality than its JPEG alternative.

Here is some more information about HEIF:  High Efficiency Image File Format - Wikipedia

[jays85562904]

Also, JPEG 2000 wasn't such a bad technology: JPEG 2000 - Wikipedia

[Test Screen Name]

JPEG 2000 is very smart. How many people are using JPX Files today? With such high costs numbers matter.

[Ole Pa]

Just updated my Lightroom Classic CC today, and I noticed it bragged about supporting .heic files.  This line comes from the "What's New"  webpage at New features summary for the October 2017 and later releases of Lightroom Classic CC

    Beginning with this release [7.4], Lightroom Classic CC now supports Apple's HEIC image file format
    on macOS High Sierra v10.13 or later.

So I guess the licensing issue has been solved.  Now we need Photoshop to support the new image format.  Thanks Adobe!

- Jim

[graphic mac]

I'm more interested in when I can use Photoshop to SAVE a file as HEIC. Apple's Dynamic Desktop HEIC file is super cool (packing multiple JPGs into the single HEIC file).

[Wilson Laidlaw]

I downloaded a trial version of an app called Image2HEIF but decided it was pointless. The files were very little smaller than the equivalent quality JPEG and I was unable to edit them in HEIF/HEIC without converting to JPEG. I did not purchase.

[kvtdugat24]

would like to know how to open heic file format in photoshop,

[Test Screen Name]

If you have both the latest Windows 10 and latest Acrobat CC you can open HEIC, I read.

[mikemirabal]

I am able to open .heic portrait mode photos in Photoshop CC 2019 on my iMac, and I can see the depth channel. However I can’t save or export the file in the .heic file format. Does anyone know if there is a workaround for this, without losing the depth channel?

Basically what I want is to take a portrait mode photo on iPhone, edit it in photoshop, then transfer it back to iPhone, into the portraits folder with the same file extension .heic and with the depth channel still in tact.

[JJMack]

It look like .heic is not a file format the Photoshop can save.  Try saving it as a PSD file maybe  primate or some other app on your iPhone can open the .PSD file and save a .heic file.  I do not know do not want to lose my fingers so I do not touch my wife's iPhone.

[Youlittlebooty]

Have you found a solution by chance?

[srinidhimurthy]

If you want a quick conversion from .heic to .jpeg, just email the image to yourself and save the image on Gmail.

[JulianStuart]

Just ran across this issue - still on CS6!  While in the Photos app in High Sierra, where I can see the actual images I might want to edit in PS, the "Edit with" option still lets me take the .HEIC image into CS6 as a jpeg, so I don't need to bulk convert...

[djs412424]

You know how you spent all that money on the latest Photoshop on a PC? 

Yeah, Me too. HEIC isn't supported. 

Download GIMP and edit/convert it there, it's had HEIC support since May 2018

[smboelaars]

GIMP support is only very basic. Both GIMP and Photoshop have their different drawbacks:

- GIMP & Photoshop can read basic HEIC files.

- GIMP can save basic HEIC files.

- Photoshop can read depth maps from HEIC files.

The first tool that can write HEIC files including the depth map gets my money.