Email photo as attachment, not embedded, in iOS 14

Expanding: With iOS 11 Apple made the default photo format HEIF, which is a newer international standard (NOT an Apple one-off). HEIF stores higher quality images than JPEG with greater compression, meaning the files are smaller. However, many photo management packages do not support HEIF unless you update them to the latest version. For things like Photoshop this can be expensive. And Microsoft doesn’t fully support it yet, even though it is now 3 years old.

To deal with the potential incompatibility issues there is an option (see below) to convert an HEIF photo to JPEG when sending via email or another transfer mechanism. Here is more information on HEIF ➡️ Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices - Apple Support

If you would prefer to continue using JPEG on your Apple devices you can make it the default; go to Settings/Camera and select “Most Compatible” for the photo format. “High Efficiency” will store photos as HEIF.

If you want to keep HEIF (or RAW on phones that support RAW) on your phone for the dual advantages of reduced size and higher resolution, go to Settings/Photos; under Transfer to Mac or PC if you choose “Automatic” photos will be converted to JPEG upon export to devices other than Apple devices. The setting Keep Originals will always transfer the images as HEIF regardless of the target device.

Historical note: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group format), a “lossy” way to compress images by lowering their resolution, was originally released in 1992. After 28 years, it’s time for a newer format that can take advantage of the higher resolution cameras and user expectations about photo quality.

Scamp468:

See https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254039196022#254039196022 and https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254041751022#254041751022.

Both above, here.

HLA1977:

Did you notice my reply to N-K-O, above, at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254126172022#254126172022?

Need I guess what email client you are using when «saving them[pictures] all»?

So far as anyone, within the users on Apple Support Communities, has been able to determine, so far, there is only one email client (and its derivatives) that prevents its users from performing bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves) based only upon how the email client chooses to display (render) your received email!

RichardTS wrote:

The point you have missed is that many people take photos on their iPhones all day and have a need to send these to a PC email client to transfer them to their PC. There once was a day when one could simply mount their iPhone in Windows and copy the photos over. But, no, Apple now has a better way-make it virtually impossible to identify or find the photos one is interested in the Windows file manager, leaving the only convenient path of email to get their photos to their PC.

Please tell me you are not serious? You can transfer pictures from iPhone to PC https://support.apple.com/HT201302.

Don’t want to do it by cable? Fine. Ever heard of services such as iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive?

If you still depend on mail to transfer photos from iPhone to your PC then maybe it’s time for you to learn new tricks. Otherwise send Microsoft a feedback about thier Outlook app not being able to handle certain attachments properly.

In short, people are frustrated because they have to jump thru hoops just to save a few email files all because Apple decided that one should not have the choice to simply attach and not embed photos.

No! All this is needed cause Outlook does not have an option to save all attachments. So your frustration is placed in wrong place.

RussTuff wrote:

Finally...... how does this thread keep going? It's this simple "We want the option and we don't have it" FFS, how hard is it for people to get this?

Maybe because it a wrong place for demands. Here, you talk to other users like yourself. You want let Apple know, then go to www.apple.com/feedback and fill up the feedback form.

Don’t forget to send one to Microsoft too https://feedback.uservoice.com/forums/1-general-feedback

peteparent wrote:

… Yours[iW00] is the most logical path to a solution yet, enough so, that I've joined and am following your advice. Let's not just discuss it amongst ourselves, let Apple know! I for one, have just sent my feedback. Hopefully, others will follow suit. …

Absolutely. Provide Feedback to Apple!

Like iW00 wrote:

«[If] You want [to] let Apple know, then go to www.apple.com/feedback and fill up the feedback form.

Don’t forget to send one to Microsoft too https://feedback.uservoice.com/forums/1-general-feedback»

If y’all are interested, we can provide some guidance in what sort of Feedback will be most affective.

…

All All - I spoke with Apple and you cannot send images as attachments with IOS 14.3.

The only way to do this is by attaching a document first then attaching the images after which just a convoluted way of doing it. Such a waste of time and very frustrating!!

Please can you all raise this issue with apple and say we want it back the old way.

"Hi apple. We want to send images as attachments and not interlaced into the email! We need to send images as attachments. Can you please fix this in the next upgrade."

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

It was only a call center operative who did not know and their recommendation was to complete the feedback form. They did not know.

Very very frustrating having to deal with the interlaced attachments.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

AlanBerry88 wrote:

All All - I spoke with Apple and you cannot send images as attachments with IOS 14.3.

…

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

It is so unfortunate that the «only a call center operative who did not know and their recommendation was to complete the feedback form. They did not know.» knew so little about email, and how it is structured (according to the International Internet Standards governing email creation and interchange):

All files (images, photos, anything) are only, ever, sent as attachments.

There are no other options!

The only thing that can change is how such things may be displayed by an email client, based upon the Formatting of the email Body.

Hence. There is simply never any excuse for any email client to prevent its users from performing bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves), regardless of email format, and how any given email client may display such.

Unfortunately, however, there is a very tiny subset of email clients (consisting of a single email client and its derivatives, according to all testing anyone on Apple Support Communities has been able to evaluate) that has this particular flaw.

Since Apple doesn’t own any of these misbehaving email clients, there’s simply nothing Apple can “fix”.

So. Anyone experiencing such misbehavior should contact the actual manufacturer of the misbehaving email client, if they want this issue to be fixed.

Anything else is a fragile workaround—subject to being easily broken by any tiny changes in the web of interactions involved in transferring emails.

CJCragg wrote:

Outlook worked just fine until IOS 14. No changes were made to Outlook. Ergo........

Based solely upon circumstantial evidence.

There is a very good reason why courts of Law do not admit circumstantial evidence: such can too easily mislead!

Instead, see my comment to, Rachel.H.U., at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254660973022#254660973022

Incidentally, Lotus9999, my response to N-K-O’s investigation (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254616832022#254616832022) shows the odd reason why adding an attached file that has a different file type seems to help Outlook (and its derivatives) “do the right thing”™️: it simply “plays” into Outlook’s way of taking “shortcuts” with the International Internet Standards governing email composition.

Even just there, it is Outlook that is not treating the standard properly.

Halliday wrote:

Incidentally, Lotus9999, my response to N-K-O’s investigation (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254616832022#254616832022) shows the odd reason why adding an attached file that has a different file type seems to help Outlook (and its derivatives) “do the right thing”™️: it simply “plays” into Outlook’s way of taking “shortcuts” with the International Internet Standards governing email composition.

Even just there, it is Outlook that is not treating the standard properly.

I did 2 tests NOT involving Outlook. I have added more formatting to make it easier for you to find the important spots...

Mar 2, 2021 6:57 PM in response to Halliday

I have tried viewing the emails sent using my Apple device with pictures in them in my Microsoft Outlook PC client, and they were embedded, and not attached. I have similarly looked at emails in my Yahoo email account on Chrome on my PC.

In both cases, every time pictures were sent in an email using my phone, they were not attached, and were embedded. And in both cases, when I added the "1 second video" solution suggested by somebody else, the pictures showed up as attachments.

So clearly it is NOT just an Outlook problem…

[Edited by Moderator]

Halliday wrote:

Incidentally, Lotus9999, my response to N-K-O’s investigation (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254616832022#254616832022) shows the odd reason why adding an attached file that has a different file type seems to help Outlook (and its derivatives) “do the right thing”™️: it simply “plays” into Outlook’s way of taking “shortcuts” with the International Internet Standards governing email composition.

Even just there, it is Outlook that is not treating the standard properly.

You are wrong... I encourage you to please do testing before repeating your theories and/or understanding of how it is working. What you state is simply inaccurate. I had in fact done two tests, the second one of which proves it is NOT just Outlook, which you seem to have missed. I will repeat them below for ease of reference:

Mar 2, 2021 6:57 PM in response to Halliday

I have tried viewing the emails sent using my Apple device with pictures in them in my Microsoft Outlook PC client, and they were embedded, and not attached.

I have similarly looked at emails in my Yahoo email account on Chrome on my PC. In both cases, every time pictures were sent in an email using my phone, they were not attached, and were embedded. And in both cases, when I added the "1 second video" solution suggested by somebody else, the pictures showed up as attachments.

So clearly it is NOT just an Outlook problem… I sent the email FROM my Yahoo account using my phone TO my Yahoo account, therefore, completely bypassing Outlook.

Lotus9999 wrote:

Halliday wrote:

Incidentally, Lotus9999, my response to N-K-O’s investigation (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254616832022#254616832022) shows the odd reason why adding an attached file that has a different file type seems to help Outlook (and its derivatives) “do the right thing”™️: it simply “plays” into Outlook’s way of taking “shortcuts” with the International Internet Standards governing email composition.

Even just there, it is Outlook that is not treating the standard properly.

I did 2 tests NOT involving Outlook. I have added more formatting to make it easier for you to find the important spots...

Mar 2, 2021 6:57 PM in response to Halliday

I have tried viewing the emails sent using my Apple device with pictures in them in my Microsoft Outlook PC client, and they were embedded, and not attached. I have similarly looked at emails in my Yahoo email account on Chrome on my PC. [Emphasis added]

In both cases, every time pictures were sent in an email using my phone, they were not attached, and were embedded. And in both cases, when I added the "1 second video" solution suggested by somebody else, the pictures showed up as attachments.

Yes. Once again, all you have done is «view» the «look[es]», the appearances!

The problem is not the appearances—such are as recommended by the International Internet Standards governing email composition and interchange.

So clearly it is NOT just an Outlook problem…

Now. Rather than purely «look[ing]» at appearances, how about trying the functional test of saving all attachments!

Lotus9999 wrote:

Halliday wrote:

Incidentally, Lotus9999, my response to N-K-O’s investigation (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254616832022#254616832022) shows the odd reason why adding an attached file that has a different file type seems to help Outlook (and its derivatives) “do the right thing”™️: it simply “plays” into Outlook’s way of taking “shortcuts” with the International Internet Standards governing email composition.

Even just there, it is Outlook that is not treating the standard properly.

You are wrong... I encourage you to please do testing before repeating your theories and/or understanding of how it is working. What you state is simply inaccurate. I had in fact done two tests, the second one of which proves it is NOT just Outlook, which you seem to have missed. I will repeat them below for ease of reference:

Mar 2, 2021 6:57 PM in response to Halliday

I have tried viewing the emails sent using my Apple device with pictures in them in my Microsoft Outlook PC client, and they were embedded, and not attached. (Emphasis added)

I have similarly looked at emails in my Yahoo email account on Chrome on my PC. In both cases, every time pictures were sent in an email using my phone, they were not attached, and were embedded. And in both cases, when I added the "1 second video" solution suggested by somebody else, the pictures showed up as attachments. (Emphasis added) …

Yes. Once again, all you have done is «view» the «look[es]», the appearances!

The problem is not the appearances—such are as recommended by the International Internet Standards governing email composition and interchange.

… So clearly it is NOT just an Outlook problem… I sent the email FROM my Yahoo account using my phone TO my Yahoo account, therefore, completely bypassing Outlook.

Now. Rather than purely «look[ing]» at appearances, how about trying the functional test of saving all attachments!