Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

illyb2000

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 25, 2012
595
98
Hi sending an iMessage photo but the recipient only sees the file name i.e IMG_3889.HEIC. Anyone else getting this before I report it and it’s something I’m doing. On public beta iPhone 7 Plus EE. I’ve sent a photo to myself and displays fine. Any help appreciated.
 
No just the file name and that’s all, I went back to 11.4 in the meantime
 
I've noticed this as well - when sending to a device that doesn't support HEIC/HEVC. In iOS 11 I think it would convert it to jpeg if it was going to a recipient that didn't support HEIC?
 
I've noticed this as well - when sending to a device that doesn't support HEIC/HEVC. In iOS 11 I think it would convert it to jpeg if it was going to a recipient that didn't support HEIC?
Ah that makes sense. Maybe they hadn’t upgraded to iOS 11
 
In iOS 11 I think it would convert it to jpeg if it was going to a recipient that didn't support HEIC?

And how would iOS/Messages know that recipient cannot handle HEIC? Eg. going to an Android user or recipient has iOS 10 and or not using Messages.

Not sure why the decision was made, but, if you email an HEIC, it converts to JPG. But not so with Messages. Yeah, odd that one but not the other.

ADD: does not help for Messages, but, some desktop apps will do the HEIC to JPG conversion. For example, I have the iMazing program for iOS device management and they have the ability to import photos and convert to JPG.

ADD2: unless stressed for space on the device, I'd just switch HEIC off, until needed. Makes life easier.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mikzn
And how would iOS/Messages know that recipient cannot handle HEIC? Eg. going to an Android user or recipient has iOS 10 and or not using Messages.

Not sure why the decision was made, but, if you email an HEIC, it converts to JPG. But not so with Messages. Yeah, odd that one but not the other.

ADD: does not help for Messages, but, some desktop apps will do the HEIC to JPG conversion. For example, I have the iMazing program for iOS device management and they have the ability to import photos and convert to JPG.

ADD2: unless stressed for space on the device, I'd just switch HEIC off, until needed. Makes life easier.

I know - I was thinking about that as I typed it. The other day I was helping someone who had to send photos of some objects by email. I was snapping some photos with my iPhone, then airdropped them to that person’s iMac. She later was dragging them along with other PDF files into an email and they were all sitting as .heic files. I was surprised it was converting them to jpeg when attaching to the email.
 
And how would iOS/Messages know that recipient cannot handle HEIC? Eg. going to an Android user or recipient has iOS 10 and or not using Messages.

Not sure why the decision was made, but, if you email an HEIC, it converts to JPG. But not so with Messages. Yeah, odd that one but not the other.

ADD: does not help for Messages, but, some desktop apps will do the HEIC to JPG conversion. For example, I have the iMazing program for iOS device management and they have the ability to import photos and convert to JPG.

ADD2: unless stressed for space on the device, I'd just switch HEIC off, until needed. Makes life easier.

It's probably based upon the recipient's iMessage status. If they have iMessage then send HEIF, otherwise convert?
Most (70+% I think) iPhones are running iOS 11 so it is generally a safe assumption.
 
I’m pretty sure iOS 11 converts HEIF to JPEG no matter what when using Messages. Even via iMessage, it converts to JPEG before sending... regardless of whether the recipient can handle HEIF images. At least that’s been my experience. So maybe iOS 12 is changing that and starting to use HEIF images in Messages instead of converting them before sending!

I’m pretty okay with this... I feel like sending pictures in iMessage takes longer right now because of the conversion.

(If I’m mistaken about the HEIF—>JPEG conversion, please correct me!)
 
I’m pretty sure iOS 11 converts HEIF to JPEG no matter what when using Messages. Even via iMessage, it converts to JPEG before sending... regardless of whether the recipient can handle HEIF images. At least that’s been my experience. So maybe iOS 12 is changing that and starting to use HEIF images in Messages instead of converting them before sending!

I’m pretty okay with this... I feel like sending pictures in iMessage takes longer right now because of the conversion.

(If I’m mistaken about the HEIF—>JPEG conversion, please correct me!)

I think you’re right. And if iOS 12 isn’t converting them right now, it could easily just be a bug.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kevo0822
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.