Can't open .HEIC pictures

Support & Help Requests
1

My Ubuntu Mate 24.04 can’t open pictures .HEIC, neither gimp, neither pinta, neither eye of mate and neither shotwell. Packages `heif-gdk-pixbuf` `libheif-examples` are already reinstalled.

$ apt search heif-gdk-pixbuf ; apt search libheif-examples
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heif-gdk-pixbuf/noble-updates,noble-security,now 1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2 amd64  [installé, automatique]
  ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - gdk-pixbuf loader

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libheif-examples/noble-updates,noble-security,now 1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2 amd64  [installé]
  ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - examples

Can you help me please?

2

is it .heic or .heif ?

I d/l a sample heic image, um24.04 displays it, I d/l a sample .heif image, um24.04 displays it.

dpkg -l | grep heif
ii  heif-gdk-pixbuf:amd64                    1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2                        amd64        ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - gdk-pixbuf loader
ii  heif-thumbnailer                         1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2                        amd64        ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - thumbnailer
ii  libheif-plugin-aomdec:amd64              1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2                        amd64        ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - aomdec plugin
ii  libheif-plugin-aomenc:amd64              1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2                        amd64        ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - aomenc plugin
ii  libheif-plugin-libde265:amd64            1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2                        amd64        ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - libde265 plugin
ii  libheif1:amd64                           1.17.6-1ubuntu4.2                        amd64        ISO/IEC 23008-12:2017 HEIF file format decoder - shared library
user@um24:~$

Try sudo apt install libheif*

2 Likes
3

I open them with Krita. Then save them as jpeg. It's an Apple format. The first time I ran across it was when a friend that was an I phone user sent me a picture.

1 Like
4

Well spotted, I made a typo and didn't notice my mistake between heic and heif.

So, I confirm, it’s about heic pictures. I’ll test your proposal tomorrow

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5

Are these .HEIC photos taken with iOS18/iPhone18?

If so the version of heif-gdk-pixbuf and it's associated dependencies in the 24.04 repos won't open them.You could install the libheif ppa and upgrade to the latest version which I believe is 1.19.8 and should allow you to open those pics,just remember this is an unofficial ppa.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:strukturag/libheif
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
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