Why in the world is HEVC and HEIC file conversions still requiring PAID app for Windows?

Question

How is it 2023 and we're still having to deal with issues of not being able to open or view HEIC/HVEC file formats on Windows machines. My entire AVD environment can't view or convert these and Microsoft has a GARBAGE "works-sometimes" .99 cent program in their app store? Is this some sort of joke? What's next, Microsoft? Are you going to charge me to change the brightness on my Surface or pay .25 everytime I want to increase my scroll speed on my mouse? Maybe a monthly subscription to open more than 6 tabs in Edge? Ridiculous, you've hocking these formats for CDN's since 2021 but your native business OS can't even open them let alone convert them to view still? Why why why?

https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/hevc-video-extensions/9NMZLZ57R3T7?hl=en-us&gl=us

Seems like the AVD Multisession images don't have the "new" Photos app that got pushed in recent updates, and is using some "Legacy Photos App". Either way this is so stupid. It's been almost 6 years, support the dang format.

Answer 1

Hi

I'am not a Microsoft Employee, but there is surelly a royalty fee somewhere for them to pay as it's a Apple's format, and it was free last year. Now the free CODEC is no longer in the store. (ms-windows-store://pdp/?ProductId=9n4wgh0z6vhq)

To get the codec for free there is two tip;

1. Get the K-Lite codec pack (https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm)
2. Install the potplayer video player, click yes to install the CODEC, and uninstall after. The CODEC will stay.

To note in iCloud if you click to download your multimedia file, it download the file in a free a CODEC's format (jpg/mpg)

Answer 2

Apple was the first to adopt, it was created by the MPEG people.