How To Delete Photo Files From Iphone

Many Apple users only discover the existence of AAE files after trying to transfer edited pictures from one device to a device running a different operating system. If you've had this problem and are confused about what an AAE file is and what to do with it, we're here to help.

What Are .aae Files? Can I Delete Them?

In this guide, you'll find out everything you need to know about AAE files. We'll explain what they are, whether you can delete them, how to open them, and how to convert AAE files to JPEG.

What Is an .aae File?

AAE is a file type found on iOS 8 and newer and macOS 10.10 and newer systems. It details the modifications made to JPEG pictures through the Photos app. Information about any edits that are made is stored in the AAE file in XML format. This means you can open it using any text editor program.

So basically, whenever you edit a photo on an iPhone or Mac, a corresponding AAE file with the detailed edits is created as well and stored in the same location. AAE files aren't readily visible in your gallery, but when you open an edited picture, the system analyzes the modifications made to it and applies them instantly.

However, this file type is unique to macOS and iOS and it can't run on Windows. So, if you transfer edited pictures directly from your iPhone or Mac gallery to a Windows device, it will look like it did before any changes were made. Thankfully, this problem can be circumvented by emailing the pictures to yourself or sharing them through a messenger app to seal the changes before transferring them to another device.

What Is an .aae File on iPhone?

An AAE file on iPhone is a JPEG file extension that contains any modification data. It's created when you make edits using the native Photos app and is stored in the same folder as the modified picture. Thus, every time you edit a photo, two files get saved instead of one.

Don't worry – AAE files are small don't take much data storage. They aren't visible in your gallery, but whenever you open an edited picture on your phone, the system analyzes the AAE file and applies the changes.

You likely won't know about the existence of AAE files on your iPhone until you try to transfer an edited photo to a device with a different operating system. When you do this, the AAE files gets separated from the JPEG files, and only the original, unedited photos will be transferred.

What Is an .aae File and Can I Delete It?

AAE files are unique for macOS and iOS systems and consist of modification data applied to a JPEG file. Basically, when you edit a picture on an iPhone or Mac using the native Photos app, your device saves two files – the picture and the edits in a text format.

The corresponding AAE file has the same name as the JPEG file and is stored in the same folder. Every time you open an edited photo, the AAE file gets analyzed and changes are applied instantly. However, if you try to rename the file, the edits won't get applied.

This also happens if you delete the AAE file from your iPhone or Mac. Thankfully, AAE files take up very little storage space, so the need to delete them isn't a big issue. However, Windows and Android devices can't read AAE files, meaning that even though you will see them in the photos folder after transferring them to these devices, the changes won't be applied. You can safely delete AAE files from your Windows or Android device since they are useless there.

To transfer modified pictures from an iPhone or Mac to a device running another operating system, you will either need to use a different app for editing or send the photos through an email or messenger app first and then transfer it to a Windows or Android device.

What Is an .aae File in Photos?

Whenever you edit a picture on an iPhone or Mac using the Photos app, the modifications get stored in a text format in an AAE file. The file is saved to the same location as the corresponding JPEG file. Every time you open a modified picture using the Photos app, the system reads the XML data from the AAE file to apply changes.

What Is an .aae File and How Do I Open It?

The AAE type of file extension is unique for iOS and macOS systems of newer versions. An AAE file stores information about the changes made to a JPEG picture using the Photos app in an XML format.

On Apple devices, AAE files aren't readily visible and get applied to the photo automatically when it's opened, so many users only discover their existence after attempting to transfer the edited pictures to Windows or Android devices.

If you wish to open an AAE file on Windows or Android device, do the following:

Right-click the AAE file.
From the dropdown menu, select "Open With."
Choose a text editor among suggested to open the file – for example, Notepad or Microsoft Word.

Note: Even though you can open an AAE file in a text editor or Windows or Android devices, you can't apply changes listed in it to the corresponding JPEG file.

What Is an .aae File on My iPhone Photos?

An AAE file contains the edits made to a corresponding JPEG file in an XML format. It's stored in the same folder as the modified picture and the iOS or macOS system reads the file every time you open a modified picture to apply the changes. This type of file extension is unique for the latest versions of iOS and macOS, thus neither Windows, Android, nor older Apple devices can open it.

What Is an .aae Sidecar File?

In general, sidecar files are file extensions corresponding to main files that contain data of a different format from that of the original file. Simply put, they are files connected to another file of a different format. AAE is a file type exclusive to the latest iOS and macOS versions and they detail edits done to a JPEG picture using the native Photos app.

It is used to preserve the original photograph. Every time you open an edited version, the system analyzes XML data stored in the corresponding AAE file to apply the modifications. Thus, AAE files are sidecar files to JPEG pictures on Apple devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read this section to find out how to convert AAE files to JPEG, how to open them, and whether you can delete them.

How Do I Convert AAE Files to JPEG?

AAE files store the edits applied to a picture in an XML format. This means that when you make changes to a picture on an Apple device, instead of saving an entirely new JPEG file, the system creates an AAE extension to the original JPEG. As AAE files are exclusive to the latest versions of iOS and macOS, devices running older versions or other operational systems won't run these files.

Because of that, no changes will be applied if you open these files on those operating systems – the edited picture will be opened in its original state. Thus, you need to convert the edits stored in the text format in AAE files to a JPEG file before transferring your pictures. This can be done in four main ways:

· Edit your pictures in any app apart from the native Photos app. AAE files only exist in the Photos gallery, thus if you edit a picture through another app, the changes get saved as a new JPEG file rather than an original JPEG file with a corresponding AAE extension.

· Edit your pictures in the Photos app. Then, send them to yourself via email. Save the pictures to your devices – they will be saved as a new JPEG file. Transfer the JPEG files to another device using any method you prefer.

· Share pictures edited in the Photos app through a messenger app such as WhatsApp or Telegram and save them as a new JPEG file.

· Use third-party software. There are plenty of apps and websites that can help you convert AAE to JPEG – for example, convertimage.net.

Can I Delete AAE Files From iPhone?

AAE files are necessary to apply changes to an original picture on your iPhone. If you delete the AAE file, the corresponding edited picture will go back to its original state. AAE files aren't large, though, so deleting them isn't necessary to save space. However, if you still wish to do that, you can convert AAE files to JPEG and delete them afterward.

How Do I Open an AAE File?

On Apple devices running on the latest versions of iOS or macOS, AAE files get analyzed automatically. You don't have to open them, however, it's possible using any text editor program. The same goes with Windows, Linux, or Android devices – you can open AAE files in any text editor such as a Notepad. You won't be able to apply the changes stored in an AAE file to a JPEG on these operational systems, though, so opening them won't have any effect.

A Necessary Measure?

Hopefully, you now understand what an AAE file is and what it does. As you can see, these files are necessary to apply changes to your edited pictures on iOS or macOS systems, so there's no need to get rid of them. Of course, this way of storing modification data has its complications, particularly when transferring photos to Windows or Android devices, but it does allow you to preserve the original image, which can be a great advantage.

Do you find Apple's implementation of AAE files an improvement or an unnecessary complication? Share your opinions in the comments section below.