what is the .AAE extension?

Hello Lawrence, I found on another thread (on exactly the same subject) that you and your counterpart jumped to the same conclusion : when wanting to get back your photos files with the jpg extension (and NOT the aae extension we get now when wanting to backup on PC, since OS 8) you simply have to use the "camera function". I might be dumb but I did not understood what you guys meant there and it's all the more frustrating that it seems to be the key point!

Would you mind elaborating a little more on that and give concrete precisions. Thanks in advance for helping me getting my jpg back.

Regards

Here are Apple's instructions: Copying personal photos and videos from iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer

And some supplemental information: What to expect when you import edited photos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to your Mac or PC - Apple Support

Additional information:

If you have Windows, don't use Windows Explorer. For XP use the Camera and Scanner Wizard, for Windows 7 and later, use Import pictures and videos. Here are the full instructions from Windows Help:

How do I get pictures from my camera to my computer?

Here's one common way to copy pictures and video clips from your digital camera to your computer:

1. Connect the camera to your computer by using the camera's USB cable.
2. Turn on the camera.
3. In the AutoPlay dialog box that appears, click Import pictures and videos using Windows.
4. (Optional) To tag the pictures, type a tag name in the Tag these pictures (optional) box.
5. By default, the folder name includes the date the pictures and videos are imported and the tag name.
6. Click Import.
7. A new window opens and shows the imported pictures and videos.

Other methods:

For either Mac or Windows, use a 3rd party photo manager, such as Google Picasa or Nikon ViewNX. Both are free. There are also tools that are not free but work well.

If you have iOS 8.3 or later, go to Settings/iCloud and turn on iCloud photos. Pictures will be transferred to iCloud as soon as they are taken. They can be viewed and managed by logging in to https://icloud.com. If you have a Mac you can also see them in Yosemite's Photos app.

For yet another option, you can use apps from Google and Shutterfly to upload them to Picasa or Shutterfly.

For yet another option, you can save them to dropbox or box.com.

Thanks very much Lawrence for your fast and extensive reply. There seems to be only a viable solution, which is " the Camera and Scanner Wizard" but I still do not understand what is the " the Camera and Scanner Wizard" on my computer (actually my initial question). I guess this fin toon may be founf on my windows xp equipped PC, but where exactly? Or on my iPod but where. Haven't found them I am afraid...sorry but could you pls explain again this very solution?

regards

In Windows XP connect the iPhone. If a dialog opens asking what you want to do choose "import pictures." If the dialog does not open you have disabled this "autoplay" feature. In that case open "My Computer", find the Camera Roll in the iPhone, right-click on it and choose the desired option. Or go to Start/Control Panel and double-click Scanners and Cameras. If you go to Start/Help and search for Camera this is what comes up:

To get pictures from a scanner or digital camera

1. Plug your camera or scanner into your computer.
2. If your camera is Plug and Play, the Scanner and Camera Wizard starts.
3. -or-
4. If your camera is not Plug and Play or you are using a scanner, right-click the camera or scanner from which you want to get pictures, and then click the appropriate option for that device.
5. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Notes

To open Scanners and Cameras, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Scanners and Cameras.

To work directly from your camera, click advanced users only on the first page of the Scanner and Camera Wizard.

To obtain pictures, the scanner or camera must first be installed, turned on, and connected to your computer.

To preview an image after you download it, double-click it to open it in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.

Thanks for this new reply.

when you say the camera, you mean the (camera of the) ipod, right?

to make sure, I really understand : to get the menus in question, you are asking me to right click on the symbol of the iPod on my computer.

Is this correct?

regards

Correct.

Thanks Lawrence. I eventually managed (but I cursing apple for doing this on iOS 8 and I am furious with myself for being such an idiot and upgrading!). My new problem is the following now : the renaming and recounting of the pictures titles are different, with a risk of overwriting my existing back upped pictures.

as it is really troublesome to rewrite each picture's nane, can you tell me the way, with the "wizard" to keep the original title and numbréunion, please.

thanks.

When you specify a location to save the imported photos choose a different folder.

Thanks Lawrence. That's indeed helping for not overwriting...However, I will still have to rename each of my pictures when adding them into my backup folder. Isn't there a way to prevent renaming and renulbering from the wizard ? Besides, I want to be able to retrieve my image with a possible problem if I need it, with its original number. That's what my back up is made for....

I just discovered this massively ignorant software design issue tonight when I was trying to back up my phone and photos.

This isn't great. It's a waste of everyone's time. That's right, Apple wasted YOUR time for every photo that you took using a filter.

They never explained that the photos would not be permanent or non-transferable for pc users, that the "new photo software options" were in fact useless toy options. Even using icloud causes reduced resolution, which isn't what I want.

I have 138 photos that were taken with the filter on, in order to get the best color and response via that filter mode. Now, I have 138 photos that are bland and uninteresting without re-editing everything, for which I have to find software in order to reproduce the same colors. Where is the reimbursement of my time? Why wasn't I informed that filter settings were not permanent?

This is not a DSLR camera and the "average person" using their phone's camera doesn't need or want a RAW format photo. We want the picture that we took and we want to be able to get to them easily - and that includes being able to access these files through pc folder menus, not just "importing functions". This is the kind of thing that deserves a lawsuit when, enmasse, people are deceived or have wasted time and effort through false portrayal of function.

I wish they'd never put the stupid filters into the OEM camera software. The filter menu should bear a warning about this issue. Why do I have to sit around all night going back and forth with the jpg's on my pc and those on the phone in order to make adjustments or take notes about what the original photos looked like to try and reproduce pics?

I prefer the iPhone to alternatives on the market, but this is so incredibly stupid for something so expensive. If anyone from Apple reads this, either get rid of the filters or get rid of the stupid sidecar files and make the photos work as the people who buy these phones want them to.

Windows PC users, DO NOT DELETE the AAE file. The file should be readable without that file. However, Apple apparently set it up so that a Windows PC user is incapable of seeing the file without that AAE extension unless they jump through hoops. I was helping a relative of mine try to find out why she couldn't see her photos and print them the way she used to and found out the hard way. She asked me to get rid of the blank files. Once we deleted the AAE files, we could not see some of the JPEGS. So of course the next step was to "restore" those files, right? You would think so. When restoring the file from the trash bin, the AAE file names were automatically changed so they no longer knew which JPEG they belonged to. Isn't that great? Since the AAE is not an image file, you cannot match them up by image. I ran out of time and had to leave, but I assume if it's just one or two files you're trying to fix, then you can restore them from your trash bin and easily rename them to the original names that match your JPEGs. If you deleted several AAE files then good luck matching them again. My relative said she did not edit her photos ever on her phone so why she had the AAE file in the first place is a mystery. She also didn't use filters when taking pictures. So maybe she accidentally used a filter without realizing it or she did edit the photos on her phone and doesn't realize it. If she did edit them on the phone and didn't realize it, perhaps she deleted the original because she didn't want duplicates. If it was the edited version that she saved, then she was stuck with the AAE extension version if what everyone is saying is correct. It's been a while since I used an iphone, but with my Samsung if I edit a photo, it is saved as a completely separate photo leaving the original untouched and both versions can be dragged and dropped on a PC without problem. I was always able to drag and drop photos from the DCIM file on my old iphone4 to the Windows desktop without a problem. It's extremely annoying that you can't drag and drop them right back into the phone. Having to use itunes to do that is ridiculous. Try teaching someone in their 80s how to use an iphone versus a drag and drop style phone. If you have an older parent who wants a newer phone, I suggest you go Samsung Galaxy. This whole issue gives the appearance that Apple is trying to force people to use MAC over PC by creating annoying conflicts like this.

I just deleted around 180 files by mistake while backing up the photos to my windows pc via windows explorer

is there any way I can recover them?

What files did you delete, and how did you delete them?

I had the iphone connected to my pc via cable and was using windows explorer to move the photos to a folder on the pc.

I deleted .aae files, I thought they were mirrors or ghosts of photos I had deleted on the iphone previously (how stupid).

I am hoping there is a way to recover them.

And no, I never used thge cloud. 😟

If you deleted the AAE files you still have all of your pictures, but any edits or filters that you made or used on the phone will be gone. I don't know of any way to recover them, unless they are in Windows trash. But you can re-edit using any photo management program on your computer.