Uploading HEIC Images - Images not showing when posted

Apple users can find that images uploaded from their devices are not showing up in their posts on this site.

This can often be caused because the images are what's known as HEIC images (High Efficiency Image Coding). This format is used by Apple for their HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos and to reduce image file sizes and is primarily caused because Apple and Google are arguing about what format to use for highly compressed images. Apple are supporting HEIC while Google are supporting AVIF. 

This problem is mostly seen when using the Camera app on the phone to directly upload images to this website AND when using older version of Apple mobile operating systems (i.e. tested ok with iPhone 14 and IOS 17.2).

If you store the image to your Photos library first then this problem is less likely to be seen.

There are therefore three main ways of fixing this problem:

1. Save the picture to your photos before you upload it.
2. Turn off the HEIF/HEIC image support on your Apple device. This is obviously less than ideal as it reduces the quality of the images your phone/device takes and increases the size of those images as well.
3. Convert the image on your Apple device into something that this website will show correctly.

Here's how to do either of those two options:

1. Save the picture to your photos library before uploading

This option is pretty simple and just adds one more step to uploading a picture to the website.

• Close your browser and open the camera app
• Take your picure
• Open the browser again at the post where you want to add your image
• Add the image from your photos

If you don't want to clutter your photos library with these images then you can delete them in the Photos app once they've been uploaded. 

2. Adjust the settings on your Apple device to not use HEIC

Here's how to do it on iOS:

Though capturing in HEIF and HEVC format is recommended, you can set these devices to capture media using the older formats, which are more broadly compatible with other devices and operating systems:

• Go to Settings > Camera.
• Tap Formats.
• Tap Most Compatible.

This setting is available only on devices that can capture media in HEIF or HEVC format, and only when using iOS 11 or later.
All new photos and videos will now use JPEG or H.264 format. To return to using the space-saving HEIF and HEVC formats, choose High Efficiency.

but of course this has the disadvantage that it affects storage and management of all images, not only those that will be uploaded to BlatChat.

3. Edit Images so they use a format other than HEIC

• Take the picture with your iPhone and save it to your Photos library
• On a Mac open the image with the Preview App
  • You can do this in the Preview app by clicking File -> Open and then scrolling the left listing of drives down to where you'll see Photos
  • Select the photo you've just taken from the photos library
• The Preview app on a Mac will allow conversion from HEIC to JPEG (and many other formats).
  • Use File -> Export and select JPEG from the FORMAT options at the bottom of the save box

 Note: if your images are appearing upside down then see this post -