Photos show as 'HIEF Photo' after iOS 27 update

Question

Level 1

0 points

Photos show as 'HIEF Photo' after iOS 27 update

After the iOS 27 update, I get black boxes for photos that show up as "HIEF Photo" as opposed to the picture in SMS messages and in the Photogallery.

iPhone 14, iOS 27

Posted on Sep 20, 2026 5:43 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 21, 2026 8:49 AM in response to Rastro

Are these "black boxes" where the thumbnails are, like in the Library view? Do you see the full image when you click on it to open it?

You should try a forced restart:

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

This is different from a simple Power Off. For me, the logo appears 5 or 10 seconds past the "slide to power off" message. Wait for the logo; don't do the slide thing.

Reply

Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

204,967 points

Sep 20, 2026 11:59 PM in response to Rastro

Is it a typo? Do you mean HEIF and not HIEF?

WHere are you seeing these photos, if they are not in the photos library?

Reply

Answer 3

Oct 2, 2026 10:26 AM in response to Rastro

It sounds like it's having to load it the picture. Are you using iCloud Photos? Are you using Optimize Storage? If so,

…Do you see all your iPhone pictures at iCloud.com?

…Have you checked to see if the Apple Account is really really the same on the iPhone and at iCloud.com?

…What is your storage in iCloud? At Settings>[name]>iCloud>Storage, mine says 166.6 GB of 200 GB used. What does yours say?

What is your storage on this iPhone? At Settings>General>iPhone Storage, my phone says 50.5 GB of 128 GB used. What does yours say?

At Settings>Battery, what do Battery Health, Maximum Capacity, and Cycle Count say?

Reply

Answer 4

Rastro Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 2, 2026 9:41 AM in response to léonie

Yes HEIF that was a typo.

Are these "black boxes" where the thumbnails are, like in the Library view? Do you see the full image when you click on it to open it?

Click on the picture in gallery or the thumbnail received in an SMS message and I get the black screen with HEIF Photo text and then close the image and click again and will display thumbnail but no image until like the 3rd or 4th time.

Reply

Answer 5

Rastro Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 2, 2026 9:42 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Are these "black boxes" where the thumbnails are, like in the Library view? Do you see the full image when you click on it to open it?

Click on the picture in gallery or the thumbnail received in an SMS message and I get the black screen with HEIF Photo text and then close the image and click again and will display thumbnail but no image until like the 3rd or 4th time.

Reply