Apple Photos Texted to Android Devices
Won't-Download-PROBLEM
( new Apple photo file format,
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A Samsung phone running Android |
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Notes and images may be added or changed
--- if/when I re-visit this page.
SECTIONS BELOW:
INTROduction
HEIC Benefits
The eMail Workaround
Apple photos to Shutterfly
More Info (web searches)
BottomOfPage
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INTRODUCTION: This page shows how to handle the problem of photos (& images) that are texted from Apple iPhones (& iPads) not being shown in the Messages app on Android devices, such as Samsung cellphones and tablets. The failed receipt of the photo (or emoji) typically shows up in a text-bubble in the Android Messages app with text such as:
Message size: 30KB Expires: 8:35AM, Dec12 The text abbreviation 'MMS' may appear next to the text-bubble indicating the message was/is processed using the Multi Messaging Service protocol. No matter how many times the Android Messages user clicks on that text bubble to trigger a download, the download fails after several minutes of a busy-indicator churning away. Emoji's may show as size 1KB. The problem is that Apple started using a new image format, HEIF = High Efficiency Image File Format (Wikipedia link) starting with Apple mobile operating system iOS 11, circa 2017. The files in the HEIF format are also known as HEIC files where HEIC = High Efficiency Image Coding. When the fullname of those files is seen, they typically have the suffix '.heic'. Most apps on Android devices (i.e. devices with the Google operating system) do not handle the HEIC format --- in the 2017 to 2023 time frame. Until most Android (and Microsoft Windows) apps can handle HEIC files as easily as they handle JPEG and PNG and GIF files, there is a workaround. The iPhone user can send the Apple HEIC photos to Android users via email. In other words, Android users should tell their iPhone acquaintances to use email to send photos (and emoji's). In particular, the iPhone user can use the path 'Photos > Share > eMail' to send the photo to an Android user. That process converts the photo to JPEG format before including it in the email. WARNING: In researching this problem, by doing web searches on keywords such as 'iphone photos not downloading to android phone' I saw many web pages that suggested changing various 'Settings' in the Android Messages app and in the Android operating system settings. Many web pages suggested, when all else fails, do a reset of the Messages app --- or even the Android operating system. DO NOT DO ANY RESET. I hate to think of how many people may have wiped out lots of data (such as messages, in particular texts-and-photos) and many-many of their settings unnecessarily. For some further detail on this problem, the following sections provide further information --- including some of the web pages that helped me understand the problem --- and a workaround. |
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HEIC benefits: A web page at 'www.howtogeek.com' (dated August 2023) pointed out: "Overall, the HEIC format is superior to the JPEG format. It takes up less space and supports 16-bit color capture instead of 8-bit. In other words, you get better pictures and use up less space. But it only works great as long as you stay in the Apple ecosystem." |
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Email Workaround: In looking for a workaround to receive iPhone photos from friends and family, I found a forum web page at 'apple.stackexchange.com' (dated in 2022) that pointed out: "Just to confirm, Photos > share sheet > Mail sends a JPEG. The reason for this is to ensure maximum compatibility for the recipient whose mail and OS may well not be able to view HEIC. ... the Photos/Mail interaction only send JPEG [not HEIC] ..." |
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Shutterfly:
In wondering why my daughter & wife could upload iPhone photos to Shutterfly (to make Christmas cards), I found a Shutterfly 'support' web page at 'support.shutterfly.com' (dated Dec 2022) that pointed out: "Helpful Tip: HEIC and HEIF files are only accepted via the iOS app, website, and mobile web and are converted to JPG at upload. HEIC and HEIF files aren't accepted via the Android app." It's unlikely than anyone (circa 2023) is creating HEIC files on Android operating systems, so there is not much likelihood of people trying to upload HEIC files to Shutterfly from Android devices. |
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More Info: For more information on the Apple-to-Android images-texting problem, you can try web searches on keywords such as the following.
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