photos uploaded to one cloud and now in format i can't open

Thank you. This all looks completely beyond my IT competence. Why did my photos get removed to one drive and how can i stop this happening again?

Use OneDrive and Windows together to either enable HEIC support or change how new photos are saved, then bulk-convert or re‑save as JPEG.

For existing 10,000 HEIC photos already in OneDrive, there are two main approaches based on the context:

1. Enable HEIC/HEVC support on the PC so the files can be opened and managed
   • Install the free HEIF Image Extensions and the HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft Store on the Windows 10/11 PC.
   • After installation, restart the Photos app.
   • Once installed, HEIC/HEIF photos stored in OneDrive and synced locally can be opened directly in Photos and other apps, and then exported/saved as JPEG as needed.
   • This avoids needing to convert everything immediately and lets the files remain in their original high‑efficiency format.
2. Change capture format on the iOS device so future photos are JPEG
   • On the iPhone or iPad:
     1. Open Settings.
     2. Tap Camera > Format.
     3. Under Camera Capture, choose Most Compatible.
   • This makes new photos save in more common formats (like JPEG) instead of HEIF/HEIC, so new uploads to OneDrive will be easier to open on Windows.
3. Use OneDrive behavior with HEIF/HEVC
   • OneDrive for iOS uploads HEIF photos in their original format to preserve quality and save space.
   • On non‑Apple devices (Windows PCs), HEIF/HEVC files in OneDrive can be previewed in a browser, but opening them locally may require the extensions mentioned above.

To get a full local JPEG set on the hard drive, the practical path is:

1. Install the HEIF/HEVC extensions so the PC can open all existing HEIC files from OneDrive.
2. Sync the OneDrive Pictures folder locally.
3. Use an image tool or the Photos app to batch export/save as JPEG into a new folder on the hard drive.
4. Change the iOS camera setting to Most Compatible so future photos upload as JPEG.

For future transfers from phone to PC without HEIC, another option (if supported by the device) is to let the phone automatically convert when transferring or emailing photos; many devices convert HEIC to JPEG during transfer.

References:

• Photos app Video Editor error: Can’t view this file type
• Upload HEIF and HEVC photos and videos to OneDrive