Open iPhone HEIC, HEVC, and Live Photos on Linux

An iPhone import can contain three different things: HEIC still photos, HEVC encoded video, and Live Photos that combine a still image with motion. A missing thumbnail or an app that cannot play a file does not mean the import is damaged. Keep the original files, test a viewer that supports their formats, and create compatibility copies only when needed.

Choose originals or automatic conversion

Apple's HEIF and HEVC guide says iPhone media imported over USB may be converted to JPEG or H.264. To request the original format, open Settings > Apps > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC > Keep Originals on current iOS versions. Menu placement can vary. This preserves the original HEIC and HEVC files, but Linux software must have compatible decoders. The alternative automatic setting may make more apps happy while changing file format during transfer; it is not an archival copy of the exact camera file.

The separate Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible option affects new captures: JPEG photos and H.264 videos instead of HEIF and HEVC. It does not rewrite your existing library. Use it when broad compatibility matters more than the smaller files and newer capture features. If you use iCloud Photos with optimized storage on the phone, make sure the full original is available before assuming USB has imported the entire library. See my USB import guide for cable and trust checks.

HEIC still photos

HEIC is a HEIF image file, often carrying capture date, location, orientation, color profile, and other metadata. A Linux desktop may need its distribution's HEIF libraries and a supported viewer or photo manager. Try a current image viewer or digiKam and confirm it can open the file at full resolution, not just show an embedded thumbnail. If a thumbnail is absent but the image opens, refresh the thumbnail cache or check the desktop's HEIF codec package rather than deleting the file.

For a copy that older software can open, ImageMagick with HEIC support can make a JPEG:

mkdir -p converted
magick IMG_1234.HEIC -quality 90 converted/IMG_1234.jpg

Check magick -list format for HEIC support first. Some distributions use convert rather than magick. This command writes a new file and leaves the HEIC untouched. JPEG is lossy and may lose or alter metadata, HDR appearance, depth data, or color information. Compare orientation, colors, dimensions, and capture date in the output before sharing or archiving it. ImageMagick documents HEIC support, which depends on the installed build.

HEVC video

HEVC, also called H.265, is the video codec; the file is commonly a .MOV or .MP4 container. A player such as VLC or your distribution's media player needs an HEVC decoder package. Confirm playback, duration, audio, and orientation before converting. A missing thumbnail is a separate thumbnailer or codec issue.

When an editor or recipient requires H.264, use FFmpeg to make a separate, broadly compatible copy:

ffmpeg -i IMG_1234.MOV -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k converted/IMG_1234.mp4

Install an FFmpeg build with the requested encoders and choose an output path that does not exist. Transcoding takes time, increases file size in some cases, and can lose HDR, color, metadata, or quality. Compare the output duration, audio, color, and capture date with the source. FFmpeg's transcoding guide explains why re-encoding is lossy; preserve the original even if the new file looks correct.

Live Photos and metadata

A Live Photo is a still plus short motion. Depending on the export path, Linux may receive a matching image and .MOV file, only the still, or a converted video. Keep matching filenames together and open both before deciding something is missing. Apple also provides a Save as Video path on the iPhone when a single playable clip is more useful. That exported video is a new presentation, not a replacement for the original Live Photo pair.

Copying or converting files can change filesystem modification time while their embedded capture time stays the same. Inspect a sample with exiftool -time:all -gps:all -FileName IMG_1234.HEIC; exiftool reads metadata without changing the file. Compare it with any converted copy, including orientation and GPS location. Do not assume every application preserves albums: album membership often lives in the photo library rather than in a standalone file. Filenames may repeat across years or devices, so do not merge folders by filename alone. Use file hashes and capture metadata to investigate duplicates, then review visually before removing anything.

Finally, count files by type, check total bytes, open representative old and recent photos and videos, and verify Live Photo pairs. Keep at least one independent backup of the untouched originals before deleting source media from the iPhone or iCloud. A successful conversion is a convenience copy, not proof that every original and its metadata made it across.