Understanding AAE Files on iPhone: To Delete or Not to Delete?

Some Noticeable Information

AAE files are created by the Apple Photos app to track edits made to photos, allowing you to undo changes at any time.

The Apple Photos app is the only application capable of opening and reading AAE files, limiting their usefulness to platforms other than Apple's. In the event that you transfer photos from an iPhone or iPad to a Windows PC, you may come across files labeled as "AAE" in addition to the images. Let us shed light on this enigmatic file type and provide guidance on how to handle them.

What Are AAE Files?

AAE files are a special type of file that the Apple Photos app uses to keep track of changes that you make to your photos.

When you edit a photo using the Photos app, it generates a unique XML file with an AAE extension. This file retains the original photo's information while recording the applied edits. As a result, the edited photo can be reverted to its original state.

On your iPhone, these AAE files are stored together with your photos. Therefore, when you transfer your photos from an iPhone to Windows, you may come across a file named "IMG_0026.AAE" alongside a similar image file named "IMG_0026.HEIC," for instance.

In this case, we opened up our iPhone with Windows Explorer and found two related files: the original image (IMG_0244.HEIC) and the corresponding AAE file (IMG_0244.AAE).

What Does AAE Stand For?

There is a theory suggesting that AAE files have their roots in the Apple Aperture photo management application on Mac. This application utilized XML sidecar files for its non-destructive editing system. Hence, the acronym AAE could potentially stand for "Apple Aperture Edits," "Apple Aperture Extension," or a similar term.

Do I Need to Save AAE Files?

There is a logical correlation between the introduction of AAE files by Apple in iOS 8 and Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite in 2014 and their decision to discontinue Apple Aperture and iPhotos in favor of the then-new Photos app.

If you want to store your iPhone photos on a platform that doesn't have the Apple Photos app, like Windows or Linux, there is no need to save the AAE files. You can delete them safely.

However, if you intend to access the files again on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, you can keep the AAE files alongside your original photos in the same folder. This way, the Photos app will be able to recognize and display the edits you made in the Photos app before transferring the images to a non-Apple platform.

Can You Open an AAE File?

You can open an AAE file in any text editor on Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, or Mac. However, the XML data contained in the file is not particularly helpful as it can only be interpreted by the Apple Photos app.

It is easier to make sense of what you're reading if you open an AAE file in something like VSCode, which offers syntax highlighting and won't mess with formatting.

The Photos app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac seamlessly utilizes the AAE files without any user intervention. There is no need to "open" these files on any of those platforms. If the AAE files are present in the same folder as the corresponding photos, Photos will automatically recognize and incorporate them. Best of luck!

Editor's P/S

AAE files are a special type of file that the Apple Photos app uses to keep track of changes that you make to your photos. They are created automatically when you edit a photo using the Photos app, and they store information about the edits that you have made. This allows you to undo changes at any time, or to revert to the original photo.

If you are using a Windows PC, you may come across AAE files when you transfer photos from your iPhone or iPad. These files are not necessary to view or edit your photos on a Windows PC, and you can safely delete them if you want to. However, if you want to be able to edit your photos using the Photos app on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad in the future, you should keep the AAE files.