What Are .AAE Files Next to iPhone Photos on Windows?

What changed when the file reached Windows?

After importing an iPhone folder, you see IMG_1234.HEIC and another small file with the same name ending in .AAE.

.AAE files can accompany Apple Photos adjustment information; they are not typically independent image files. They should not be treated as broken JPEGs or deleted without deciding how you will preserve edits.

Why it happens

Windows Explorer exposes media and related sidecar files differently from the organized view in the iPhone Photos app.

This distinction matters because a file can be copied successfully while a viewer cannot display it, and a converted copy can be readable while not being the archival original you intended to preserve. Before repeating a gigabyte-scale transfer, establish exactly which outcome you need.

A safe test using one original

1. Group files by base filename and note which image/video files have .AAE companions.
2. Open the actual photo in a compatible Windows viewer rather than trying to view .AAE as a picture.
3. If you need the edited appearance, export a rendered version separately from the original camera file.
4. Back up source images and any relevant sidecars before restructuring folders or deleting duplicates.

Evidence that the problem is solved

Compare the appearance of one edited photo on the iPhone against the Windows image. If the effect is absent, the AAE alone may not restore it in a non-Apple viewer. For important memories or production footage, store a separate independent copy of the verified original; do not remove the iPhone source after testing only a thumbnail.

When to use DropToPC

DropToPC’s free photo/video transfer can avoid manual DCIM folder copying for selected media, but verify its handling of edited versions rather than assuming sidecar information travels identically. Use the official DropToPC website for the current Windows receiver and iPhone sender. Pair with the PC’s QR code and keep the phone app open for manual sending. Local-network transfers are free and fast; Free also supports remote transfers with speed below Pro. Both modes have no cumulative traffic or transfer-count limits, and Free preserves original photo/video transfer quality.

Important boundary: The contents and behavior of companion editing data depend on the capture and export workflow.

If the receiving PC cannot decode an intact file, solve that separately; switching transfer applications will not install missing codecs or recover a missing iCloud original. For related troubleshooting, explore our Windows import methods.

TransferToPC and DropToPC share the same owner. Product information is not an independent performance test. Read our ownership disclosure.