My iphone dcim folder structure has changed

Apple, I rally hate you right now. Clearly you accidently un-handicapped this, and reverted it back to prevent Windows users from finally having an easy experience accessing DCIM contents... Honestly, its BS like this that makes Android look more and more appealing

Well for those who didn't like it, you'll be happy... I just updated last night to 14.7.1 and it's seems to be back to the original ###Apple folder naming. I'm bummed as I liked it because it was easy to find the specific folder a picture was in... if you could remember the month/year you took it of course. ;-)

Hi everyone,

Had noticed this change on IOS 14.6 and find it useful !

Now, back to old times after updating my iPhone to iOS 14.7.1 these days :-(

Apple, could you please choose and keep this last option of 14.6 ??

It happened with iOS 14, because Apple organized photos to support Apple’s photo apps, and doesn’t expect you to ever look at the folder structure on the phone; you should be using the recommended transfer methods described here→Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Other sources on the internet (https://twitter.com/3939tokai/status/1397470444505100292 , https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-14-6-dcim-folder-changes.2300057 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj2AQQmtthE, etc.) indicate that this change happened in iOS 14.6. I cannot find any official mentions of this on iOS release notes or Apple documentation. I see the same thing on my device running iOS 14.6.

I do see all EXIF properties when transferring HEIC photos on my Windows PC. I have "Keep Originals" set on the "Transfer to Mac or PC" option in Photos). Perhaps EXIF data is stripped when converting to JPEG? I haven't tried it myself.

I just noticed this too as I plugged in my phone to grab a pic. It must of happened recently because I didn't notice it a couple months ago.

I think this is a great change and makes finding things easier as they are categorized by month. Not sure why anyone would complain about better organization, except as mentioned, those who hate change.

you'll want to change windows import settings. right click "apple iphone" device when plugged in and select "show more options" - then "import pictures and videos", then "more options"/bottom left, then play with "import settings" for file/folder name.

exactly. back to **** with 14.7 - so my backup of 200gb of pics by month (yea!) is now back to 135APPLE /etc. (boo!)

now what as I've cleared the phone storage...and have to reorganize backups.

looked at windows "import photos" util by date range - /etc. but will only do a range, not a month.

That really sucked because, while I didn't mind either format, I actually spent hours renaming and reorganizing my existing folders etc. to fit the new format, only for them to change it back a few updates later.. Please let us choose, Apple!

iRatty,

I understand your frustration, as many people are having the same issue. You will be told on here by certain persons that it is "your fault, you should have never been accessing photos that way, it's not approved". But that's a load of you know what.

I agree that the year-month could be easier to use, if you happen to know the date of the photo you are looking for; however for me, it created at least twice as many folders, so if I am searching for a photo I now have to click many more folders.

So many people on this forum seem to have never used a real camera; this is the exact format of every other camera, e.g. 100CANON, 101CANON, etc., when you access the storage card.

As for Android, I guarantee that it is not any better; it stores photos in the same 100,101,102 format as well. Actually, my wife has an Android, and I find it quite confounding, because there isn't just one DCIM folder, there are multiple different places on the phone you have to search if you want to find all the photos, screenshots, etc. (double that if you have an expansion sim card too). I positively dread any time she asks me to backup her photos.

Sorry all, never going to happen. That would require Apple to admit that they screwed up. And besides "it's your fault because your method is not approved". How dare you try to use your camera like a camera...

I wish they'd make it an option. I like the date/month format most of the time but someone was right - when searching for a picture, it might be faster to see a large folder all at once. I also wish that data such as the location where the pictures were taken and all metadata could be retained. I think I can find the coordinates if I use certain photo viewing app but it's not very convenient having to translate a big string of numbers to a place. Does anyone has a solution to this?

Truthfully, I actually LOVED the new "YEAR_MONTH" file structure, and I wish it would stay as "YEAR_MONTH" (and wish there was a way to change it to "YEAR_MONTH" and keep it that way.

I loved iOS 14.6 (with the YEAR_MONTH file structure) and unfortunately I updated to iOS 14.7.1 recently, and it screwed up my phone and removed the file structure, and now I am back to the old "###APPLE" folder structure.

I did like the "YEAR_MONTH" file structure much MUCH better. I hope Apple gives us the option (in settings) on our iPhone to change it back to "YEAR_MONTH" file structure instead.

I really liked the monthly folders - I have always filed my folders by month - I find it much more helpful when combining several input sources. I am really disappointed that it's reverted to the "100APPLE".. structure. Please Apple - is there not a way of offering both options to iPhone users?

Just because you happen to like the new organization doesn’t mean you should complain about those who don’t.  If Apple changed the organization every time IOS was updated, would you still say that people who complained did so because they “hate change”?  I have backups and copies of a large number of photos that I previously organized using the same structure as on my iPhone.  I use the same structure on a number of devices.  I often don’t remember what year and month I took a photo, but usually remember other photos I took around the same time.  It’s easier for me to go through a small number of folders to find a picture I am looking for than it would be to look at hundreds of folders.  With the new structure, I need to do one of the following:  1) have 2 different file structures for storing my photos, 2) modify my old file structures to change to year and month, or 3) create my own file structures for all new photos.  I don’t find any of the options reasonable. Apple should offer the option of which structure to use.