iPhone photos create multiple files (IMG, IMG_E, AAE) when transferred to PC

I'm not totally sure about PCs, but on my Mac I can get these 4 files:

IMG_ is the unmodified original. This has the unmodified metadata.

XMP is the added metadata that the original doesn't include, but without editing data

IMG_E is the edited and cropped version with all the metadata.

AAE is metadata

If you've edited the picture, and you like what you got, choose the edited version. If you think you will want to start over, keep the original.

If you take a picture using, say, 16x9 cropping, then that is editing the picture-- chopping off the top and bottom of the original. The original will always be the 4x3 aspect ratio of the sensor.

The original can be combined with the metadata files. If you have the edited version, there's no need for those.

Using Share on the phone doesn't generate all these files-- you can choose to export (or save to Files) either the Edited or the Original, and the result won't have the _E thing attached. You can Share to an external drive -- very easy on a 17 with a USBc port.

Richard.Taylor wrote:

I'm not totally sure about PCs, but on my Mac I can get these 4 files:

IMG_ is the unmodified original. This has the unmodified metadata.

XMP is the added metadata that the original doesn't include, but without editing data

IMG_E is the edited and cropped version with all the metadata.

AAE is metadata

I've messed with this a bit more, and I was surprised to find that the IMG_E file that I get with Share>Options set to "All Photos Data" is different from the edited file I get with "All Photos Data" unchecked. The IMG_E image I get does not have the title, caption, or location metadata that I had added editing Photos. Silly me, I thought "All Photos Data" might have all the picture's info.

XMP has added Title, caption, and location metadata, but Photos doesn't seem to read it.

So the correct info is: I can get these 6 files:

A 3 or 4 file collection:

IMG_ (JPG or HIEIC) is the unmodified original. This has only the unmodified metadata.

IMG_E is the edited and cropped version with original metadata.

.AAE is metadata, not caption, but editing data

IMG_0…AEE less editing data. This file not with Nikon pictures

A file added with the Original on the Mac

XMP Caption, Title, etc that the original doesn't include, but without editing data

The simple Edited file,

IMG_ (jpg or heic) Edited, cropped picture with all metadata.

I think…