Microsoft is bringing support for the new HEIF image format to Windows 10. First popularized by Apple with iOS 11, HEIF is a new image format that uses less storage space while preserving image quality. The new image format is used by default on Apple’s iPhone X and other devices running iOS 11. While Microsoft’s online services like OneDrive already supported HEIF since the release of iOS 11, Windows 10 didn’t natively support the new format as of yet.

But with the upcoming Redstone 4 update–possibly called the Spring Creators Update–the Microsoft Photos app in Windows 10 will support HEIF by default. Microsoft is testing out a new update (version 2018.18022.13740.0) to the app with Windows Insiders in the new Redstone 4 build 17123 and Redstone 5 build 17623. The Redstone 4 build is available right now to Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring, while the Redstone 5 build is available to those part of Skip Ahead. The company is releasing a new build to the Slow Ring today as well.

In other news, Microsoft is also making it safer to use external GPUs in Windows 10 later this year. The company is introducing a new removal experience for external GPUs in Redstone 5 that will allow users to safely disconnect their external GPUs after closing all the apps or games that were making use of the GPU.

Tagged with HEIF, Microsoft Photos, Redstone 4, Redstone 5