[Feature] Automatic file format conversion

[mikkelsiggaard]

The feature

Hi there,

I love both the current state of Immich and the rapid development.

I’ve searched, but I didn’t find any feature requests regarding the server automatically converting to specific file formats when uploading assets.

My intended use car for this is, that my iPhone uploads photos in the .heic-format, but when I download the same image from my computer HEIC isn’t very well supported. Hence it would be awesome to be able to convert the .heic-images to e.g. JPG or PNG.

As I see it, the best way to implement such a feature (from a user perspective) is to have file format conversion as an optional setting, and with explicit rules. E.g. “Convert HEIC to JPG” = true.
This should prevent uploaded PNG-images to be converted to JPG as well.

For me personally, this would only be helpful for images, but maybe video should be considered as well.

Hope this isn’t in conflict with anything architecturally.

Have a great day.

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[stevin05]

I'd also love a feature like this, but would prefer it to be on the download side instead of the upload side. If the download button could offer full quality conversions to more compatible formats, that would be perfect for our use case. This way also supports libraries that are already packed full of HEIC files.

[mikkelsiggaard]

I agree with your suggestion to do it on the download side.
This would also make the upload process less ressource intensive.

[kallegrens]

I agree, only on the download side. I love that Immich stores the originals unmodified. My use case includes RAW-files, .dng's in particular, which I would like to simply share to a text message or similar as a .jpg or other format with wide compatibility. Upon downloading it would be nice to choose Download original or "Compatibility download"

[steve5355]

I agree with your suggestion to do it on the download side. This would also make the upload process less ressource intensive.

I just posted a feature request with this as an option. #5424

[Batwam]

I'd like to have the option to have those on the upload side. The reason is that a few of the multimedia apps like Plex of Jellyfin don't support HEIC files so if I point them to my photo library, they can't display the files.

[kallegrens]

I hardly believe the photo-viewer Immich should optimize to view photos elsewhere.

[Batwam]

That's one way to look at it of course but Immich is already doing that when it transcodes videos so they can be viewed in various browsers.

I don't know about you but I can't install Immich to view the pictures on my TV so the use case in my situation is different. I can't use Immich there so I use Plex instead.

The added benefit of using standard formats is also that it removes the need for transcoding. In my case (and others as mentioned in other posts), transcoded contents takes more space than the original files and has the effect of to more than double the disk space used by the app.

In short, you are not just optimising for the sake of another viewer, you are also optimising to avoid transcoding and wasted disk space... and it would be optional.

[fdisamuel]

This feature could be fantastic; it would save me the hassle of converting HEIF images taken on my iPhone into more compatible formats (like JPG) when downloading them to my computer from the Immich web.

[xttlegendapi]

good feature. also for when I upload files like Cr2 or Psd, and I want to download or share them on my phone, it would be great that it downloads a converted version

[Molier]

is there any update on this? OnePlus 12 also saves in the smaller heic format, and images from immich can't be shared to other people like this without them downloading them and converting them manually on some site/ shitty mobile app. the share to WhatsApp/Instagram etc doesn't work with the heic format on other phones.

[mattheys]

Yes, would love to see an option when downloading for automatic conversion to jpg, not only for heic but also for raw image formats as well. It would be great if I could share photos I've taken from my dslr in an album with other people without having to explain to them how to convert NEF into something else if they want to keep them.