Does the software support HEIC files from an Apple Device?

WHAT IS THE HEIC FILE FORMAT?

HEIC is a proprietary file format used by Apple for photos taken with later model Apple iPhones, and is currently directly supported only within the Apple products ecosystem.

IS HEIC SUPPORTED BY PIXAMI?

HEIC files are not directly supported by Pixami software, or by Windows, or most all non-Apple applications. Once a commercial solution becomes available to open and convert HEIC files in our software, Pixami will add support. In the meantime, we recommend you a) disable HEIC files on iPhones for the yearbook staff, and b) use a commercial utility to convert HEIC files to JPG for use in the yearbook software.

HOW TO DISABLE HEIC FILES

The most likely way HEIC files will end up causing issues is when being directly uploaded to the yearbook software from an iPhone. To avoid any issues with HEIC files we recommend that you turn off HEIC on your iPhone. Here is how to do this:

1. Unlock your iPhone or iPad and open Settings, then select
2. Under Camera, click Formats.
3. To disable HEIC images, select the Most Compatible option under Camera Capture.

HOW TO OPEN HEIC FILES IN WINDOWS

To open an HEIC file in Windows, you need version 18.09 of Windows 10 or later. If not already installed (i.e., if you get errors) you also need to install the HEIF Image Extensions support tool from the Microsoft Store. Once this extension is installed, you should be able to double-click on an .heic file, and it will open in the Photos app, or you can open it in Photoshop or a similar application to convert to JPEG files.

HOW TO MASS-CONVERT HEIC FILES TO JPG ON WINDOWS
There are several free utilities available in the Microsoft store to convert .heic files in bulk on Windows. Here is one example: https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/heic-converter-heic-to-jpg/9PKB9Q1GG832

Pixami does not recommend any of these specifically and recommends you do your own research.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Here are a couple of recent articles that might also be helpful.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-open-heic-and-hevc-files-windows-10s-photos-app

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file-types/image/raster/heic-file.html#open

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

We will keep this article updated with the latest information regarding support for HEIC files. Please comment below, or submit a support ticket with any questions.