HEIC image files

[JoeB]

Forum member @wondermouse has posted a request in the Wish List thread for PSP support for HEIC files, which apparently is the default format of the newer iPhone/ipad models. I hadn't known that because I'm an Android guy And @wondermouse suggested that, until such support is implemented in PSP, Corel should at least let people know it doesn't support HEIC and provide a link to a converter app or online converter.

But the post did make me do a bit of research and made me realize that perhaps this format is becoming more ubiquitous and that some people actually are having some issues with images that others might send them from Apple products in HEIC format that won't display in Windows Explorer or be editable in PSP , although the latest Windows 10 update might now provide such support. But that won't help those of us with older versions of Windows.

In any event, as I suspect that Corel won't be posting a link to a converter any time soon, I figured it might not hurt to provide one to a downloadable codec in this forum (rather than an online converter) for those who might be interested. I do not suggest people use online converters for everything simply in case some images might - even unknowingly - contain info that one might not want publicly available.

But there is a free codec available that works with Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 and that will make HEIC image files display thumbnails in Windows Explorer. You can associate such files with Windows Photo Viewer which will open and display the image when double-clicked. And, for editing purposes, the codec allows you to right-click on the image file in Windows Explorer and almost instantly convert it to .jpg format so that it can now be opened and edited in any program.

So, in case some might find it useful, here is the link to the site where you can download the codec:

https://www.copytrans.net/copytransheic/

And if you think it's a good idea to install the codec just in case for future use but don't have any HEIC images to be able to test whether or not the codec works once you install it, you can download a zip file with sample images here:

https://winaero.com/blog/heif-heic-images-windows-10/

[Ken Berry]

Thanks Joe -- and also for posting this here rather than in the Wishlist thread!

I note, though, that the installation of TransHEIC uninstalls the Microsoft HEIF codec (or whatever it is called) which I assume came with the May 20 Windows update, as you suggested. I hope that the TransHEIC one does the same thing.

I also downloaded the HEIC samples, but can't see the right-click conversion to JPEG. But I'll look further into that.

I'm afraid this is all rather new to me. I had seen earlier references to HEIC/HEIF but hadn't bothered looking into it. So thanks again for doing this for us.

[JoeB]

Hey Ken,

I don't have Windows 10, and when I was searching for info on HEIC and found that the latest Windows 10 updates might have a codec with it I didn't see anything about the CopyTrans codec uninstalling the one that came with the Windows 10 update. You can get the Microsoft HEIF codec at this link which should allow you to re-install it if you want or need to (although it might come included in the next and future updates but I don't know):

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/p/heif- ... verviewtab

More info on the Microsoft HEIC extension codec can be found here:

https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/convert-vi ... indows-10/

I don't have Windows 10 (I use 8.1) but from what I can read it doesn't seem as if it does anything better than the CopyTrans codec but I could be missing something.

As for you not being able to find a way to convert your sample HEIC images to jpg with the CopyTrans codec, I can only assume that either you perhaps haven't used the correct method or maybe the CopyTrans version won't display the proper context menu option in a version of Windows 10 that is already supplied with the Microsoft licensed codec.

EDIT: From what I read on the site linked to above, if you have Windows 10 with the Microsoft codec installed then the context menu you get when right-clicking an HEIC file in Explorer gives you the option to Edit With Photos, which opens the photo app with the image which you can then Save a Copy to export as a jpg. The CopyTrans codec, on the other hand, (see next paragraph) is more convenient in that it doesn't require you to have to open the HEIC image in any app or program to do the conversion. It adds that option directly to the context menu.

On my Windows 8.1 machine I simply right-click the file name in Windows Explorer (if in Details view) or the thumbnail (if in icons view) and the normal context menu comes up with the added option that reads Copy to Jpg with CopyTrans. When I click that option a copy of the HEIC file appears within a second or less in jpg format under the HEIC file in Explorer. I can then simply open the jpg in PSP or any photo editor I choose.

That's about all I can add for now.

[Ken Berry]

I've solved my 'convert to jpeg' problem. I had thought that it was in the right click menu of Photo Viewer. But in fact it is in the right click File Explorer menu (towards the top) which you get when you haven't even opened the photo.

[JoeB]

I've solved my 'convert to jpeg' problem. I had thought that it was in the right click menu of Photo Viewer. But in fact it is in the right click File Explorer menu (towards the top) which you get when you haven't even opened the photo.

Exactly. Which is what makes it more convenient as a converter than how I understand that the Microsoft codec does which, I believe, can only do the conversion after opening the HEIC image in the Photo app and then using that app's Save option to save as jpg.

EDIT: The other convenient thing about the CopyTrans codec is that you can select as many or all of the HEIC images that you want in Windows Explorer and then right-click to get the option to Copy to Jpg with CopyTrans and it will create a copy of all of them in one swell foop - basically a batch conversion.

[linkot7]

JoeB
Thanks so much ... my question was answered before I even asked it. You made my day!