Support for HEIF (.heic) and HEVC photo and video files
Dropbox supports photo and video files stored in HEIF (.heic) and HEVC-encoded MOV (.mov) formats.
HEIF and HEVC are the default file formats for photos and videos on many Apple devices running iOS 11 or later. Most Mac computers, iPhones, and iPads can open these files. Learn which devices use HEIF and HEVC file formats.
If you’re using a non-Apple device (Android phone, Windows computer, or Linux computer) you can preview these file types in Dropbox and store them on your device, but you may not be able to open them.
As an alternative, we recommend converting and uploading them to your device as JPG and non-HEVC MOV files. You can do this using the camera uploads settings in the Dropbox app or in the settings on your iPhone or iPad. Both options are explained in this article.
Use camera uploads to upload HEVC as a different file type
If you use the camera uploads feature to automatically upload your photos and videos to Dropbox, you can set your HEIF and HEVC files to upload as JPG and non-HEVC MOV files instead. Then, you can open them on non-Apple devices.
To set HEIF and HEVC files to upload as JPG and non-HEVC MOV:
- Open the Dropbox app.
- Tap the person icon.
- Tap the gear icon.
- Tap Camera Uploads. (It must be enabled to see these settings.)
- Select Save HEIC Photos as.
Notes:
- The Save HEIC Photos as option will only appear if you have an HEIF or HEVC file on your device
- Saving your camera uploads as a JPG is likely a better option if you’re sharing files with someone who isn’t using an Apple device
- Converting a file to JPG will remove some features of HEIF files
- Changing how these files are uploaded won’t affect files that were already uploaded to Dropbox
Use iPhone or iPad settings to upload HEVC as a different file type
You can upload HEIF and HEVC files as JPG and non-HEVC MOV by changing the settings on your iPhone or iPad and then manually connecting the device to a computer to upload. To do so:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap Photos.
- Scroll to the Transfer to Mac or PC section and choose:
- Automatic: Your iPhone or iPad will automatically import the JPG or non-HEVC MOV version of the file
- Keep Originals: Your iPhone or iPad will automatically import the HEIF or HEVC-encoded MOV version of the file
Which operating systems support HEIF (.heic) and HEVC files?
HEIF (.heic) photos
Supported |
Not supported |
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|
HEVC-encoded videos
Supported |
Not supported |
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|
To learn more, visit these articles from Apple support:
- If your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 11 or higher
- More information on how to use HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices
If you’re having issues uploading or viewing HEIF or HEVC files, check to make sure that all of the devices, operating systems, and applications that you used can support them.
