PSA how to fix Windows explorer being blind to iPad sidecar .mov thumbnailsWhy does MS have to change? It is Apple's iOS that is using a non
This is about iOS <-> Windows cross platform image/video compatibility.
BACKGROUND:
My phone, which names pictures using a sane algorithm, is broken so I'm
using one of my iPads to take Vine photos for my next set of reviews.
When copied over to Windows using Apple's asinine naming conventions, I get
202408_a
202412_a
202508_a
202512_a
... snip ... 202602_a
In that last folder are the files taken today which are saved under iOS' asinine naming conventions of IMG_0509.JPG, IMG_0510.JPG, IMG_0511.JPG,
etc. along with Live Photos
IMG_0509.MOV, IMG_0510.MOV, IMG_0511.MOV, etc where doubleclicking on the
MOV files brings up MPC-BE which plays the Apple live-action sidecar file.
The problem is there are no thumbnails in Windows 10, by default, for the
MOV files, so I looked up how to add thumbnails to Win10 for MOV files.
Apparently Windows Explorer needs a decoder to extract a frame for a MOV thumbnail. Most people use MPC-BE on Windows to play short video sidecar files, which can play the MOV file because MPC uses its own internal
codecs, but Windows 10 File Explorer can't show the thumbnails natively.
Apparently the .mov files from the iPad almost certainly use HEVC (H.265). but it seems that Windows Explorer cannot decode HEVC without:
a. Either Microsoft's paid HEVC extension (yeah, right), or
b. A modern third-party thumbnail provider like Icaros 3.x
Given that most .mov files from iPads use HEVC (H.265) video, we need to
give Microsoft Windows 10 a way to generate thumbnails for HEVC.
It can't do that unless the proper codec is installed. Without the
codec, we get what I see which is
a. Blank icons
b. No preview in File Explorer
But the file still plays in MPC-BE (because MPC-BE has its own codecs).
The "official" fix from Microsoft is apparently to buy Microsoft's HEVC
Video Extensions (yeah, right), where the moment you pay even a single cent for anything, you lose your privacy, so that's a dead end out of the box.
Since I've installed every file converter ever suggested on these
newsgroups, there's always the option to convert the .mov -> .mp4, using Handbrake or ffmpeg or the last-known-good-version of Super which is
version 2010.bld.42 (Nov 7, 2010) (but that's likely too old).
However, a better option, apparently, is to install a third-party thumbnail provider such as Icaros which is a part of the K-Lite Codec Pack that adds thumbnail support for .mov, .mp4, .mkv, HEVC, etc.
That's it. It's that easy.
No Microsoft account, no Store, no HEVC purchase. Privacy protected.
The last time I installed codecs appears to be way back in 2018 or so.
dir C:\software\editor\codec\11/23/2018 09:18 PM <DIR> avicodec
03/14/2019 12:57 AM <DIR> codecinstaller
11/23/2018 09:19 PM <DIR> cole2k
03/07/2019 10:50 AM <DIR> gspot
11/23/2018 09:20 PM <DIR> klite
11/23/2018 09:20 PM <DIR> mediainfo
03/14/2019 12:55 AM <DIR> TechSmithScreenScaptureCodec_for_Camtasia
11/23/2018 09:20 PM <DIR> videoInspector
dir C:\software\editor\codec\klite11/14/2018 12:13 PM 16,086,254 K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1455_Basic.exe
11/14/2018 12:13 PM 46,345,213 K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1455_Full.exe
11/14/2018 12:14 PM 57,367,629 K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1455_Mega.exe
11/14/2018 12:14 PM 39,878,984 K- Lite_Codec_Pack_1455_Standard.exe
11/14/2018 12:14 PM 17,291,837 klcp_update_1455_20181106.exe
03/23/2020 04:04 AM 17,980,609 K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1540_Basic.exe
03/23/2020 04:04 AM 50,086,779 K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1540_Full.exe
03/23/2020 04:03 AM 61,038,349 K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1540_Mega.exe
03/23/2020 04:03 AM 43,329,798 K- Lite_Codec_Pack_1540_Standard.exe
Almost certainly Windows Explorer won't get modern HEVC/H.265 thumbnails
from those so it's time I updated my codecs to handle this Apple crap. <https://codecguide.com/>
<https://codecguide.com/download_kl.htm>
Options exist for Basic, Standard, Full & Mega but I only need Basic. <https://codecguide.com/download_k-lite_codec_pack_basic.htm> <https://files2.codecguide.com/K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1945_Basic.exe>
Name: K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1945_Basic.exe
Size: 22794319 bytes (21 MiB)
SHA256: D301046FEB19E3E5ED9FC08620F1CAAA66C3C43CFC62BB44B59277D79514504F
Once it's installed I'm supposed to a. Open Icaros Configuration (Start
Menu -> K-Lite Codec Pack)
b. Turn Thumbnailing ON
c. Make sure .mov is checked
d. Click Activate Icaros
And refresh my thumbnail cache if needed to make MOV thumbnails appear.
Doubleclicking the installer exe pops up a UAC because it needs to register shell extensions and then it asks for the Installation Mode of
(o)Normal
(_)Advanced
Then it asks for the preferred media player
[Media Player Classic (MPC-BE)
[VLC Media Player]
[Something else]
And the preferred audio player
[Media Player Classic (MPC-BE)
[VLC Media Player]
[Something else]
[x]Create file associations
[x]Thumbnails, Disable cache removal by Windows Maintenance
I took all the defaults because the one thing that I'd change doesn't
exist, which is to put the codecs where I want to put them on my PC.
Unfortunately it's a Stone-Age installer that doesn't go where you want it
to go (as it goes into the asinine Program Files (x86) garbage bin, but it
is what it is because K-Lite is 32-bit by design because Explorer's
thumbnail handler is 32-bit. So apparently it's required for compatibility.
Seconds later, my dummy browser trap caught the installer phoning home to [Fri 02/13/2026 19:42:21.13] Attempted launch: C: \data\sys\batch\dummybrowser.exe "http://www.codecguide.com/ configuration_tips.htm?version=1945"
Voila!
Explorer finally stops acting blind and instantly started showing
thumbnails for the MOV sidecar files from my iOS iPad.
I was surprised that the installer auto-activated Icaros since I had
thought we'd have to open Icaros manually and click Activate.
But in my case, apparently the installer saw that:
a. this was a fresh install (not an upgrade)
b. thumbnailing was enabled in the setup options
c. no previous Icaros registration existed
So, apparently, the installer registered the Icaros thumbnail handler automatically during installation. Kewl. It just works.
That's why everything "just worked" the moment the installer finished.
Apparently the K-Lite installer auto-activates Icaros if:
a. We check "Thumbnails" during installation
b. No previous Icaros registration exists
c. The system doesn't already have a conflicting thumbnail handler
I met all three conditions.
Apparently Windows Explorer immediately starts using the new handler.
Once registered, it seems Explorer doesn't care whether we opened the GUI.
It just sees a new thumbnail provider and starts using it.
Since my MOV files were HEVC, the difference was instant as the moment
Icaros was active, Explorer finally had a decoder -> thumbnails appeared.
Voila!
It just works.
PSA how to fix Windows explorer being blind to iPad sidecar .mov thumbnails
This is about iOS <-> Windows cross platform image/video compatibility.
The problem is there are no thumbnails in Windows 10, by default, for the MOV files, so I looked up how to add thumbnails to Win10 for MOV files.
The "official" fix from Microsoft is apparently to buy Microsoft's HEVC
Video Extensions (yeah, right), where the moment you pay even a single cent for anything, you lose your privacy, so that's a dead end out of the box.
Frank Slootweg wrote:
Maria Sophia wrote:
PSA how to fix Windows explorer being blind to iPad sidecar .mov
thumbnails
This is about iOS <-> Windows cross platform image/video compatibility.
? No, it isn't, but don't worry, later you get it sort of 'right'.
[...]
The problem is there are no thumbnails in Windows 10, by default,
for the
MOV files, so I looked up how to add thumbnails to Win10 for MOV files.
? Here you go! It's not a Windows 'problem', but a Windows *10*
'problem'. Figure *that*, a 10+ year old out-of-active-support OS lacks
some minor feature! Shame on you, Microsoft!
[...]
The "official" fix from Microsoft is apparently to buy Microsoft's HEVC
Video Extensions (yeah, right), where the moment you pay even a
single cent
for anything, you lose your privacy, so that's a dead end out of the
box.
? You *do* realize that you can use a 'throw-away' Microsoft Account,
just for the Microsoft Store, don't you!? No need for a Sign-in
Microsoft Account. But yes, it will cost you 99 cents. A disaster!
[...]
Hi Frank,
While it's obvious you're not correcting facts but attempting to reframe
the purposefully helpful PSA so that you can slide in veiled insults, I
will not respond directly to your incessant never-ending personal attacks other than to analyze your presumptive "attack strategy" as follows.
1. You pretend I said something that I clearly & obviously never said
2. You shift the topic from my technical explanation to a personal jab
3. You desperately try to force me into defending claims I never made
4. Where you use mock surprise to imply that it is I who is confused
5. In your attempt to drag me into a defense for your own amusement
The original post is a heart-felt kind and helpful PSA regarding the
issues that I ran into and resolved between the iPad & Windows 10.
I posted to the Windows 10 newsgroup, and not to the Windows 11 ng.
My post clearly described a Windows 10 Explorer limitation with HEVC
based .mov thumbnails from iOS devices. I never mentioned Windows 11
and, in fact, I repeatedly mentioned my tests were only on Windows 10.
The point was simple. Windows 10 Explorer cannot generate HEVC
thumbnails without either Microsoft's paid extension or a third-party thumbnail provider. Installing Icaros from the K-Lite package solves
that specific problem without requiring a Microsoft Store account.
If you have a better solution that preserves privacy & dollars, then
please strive to add value in your response to this reply.
You suggested using a throwaway Microsoft Account. That is a valid
option for people who want it but even then, as far as I know, the product
is not needed and it costs money (but I didn't delve further).
My post explained why I prefer not to use the Microsoft Windows Store when Icaros itself is freeware distributed at no cost with K-Lite packs.
It was clear from my directory commands that I have a long history of using K-Lite codec packs, as do most people on these newsgroups, so it was
natural for me to suggest that freeware solution for others to benefit.
Even though your "mock surprise" and desperate attempt at chastisement was
to your own strawman argument, if you truly believe any technical detail in my explanation are incorrect, feel free to point to the specific part.
I am always willing to correct factual errors. But I will advise you
that personal remarks do not help the discussion.
Setting aside the personal commentary, all I ask of posters is that they
add technical value to the topic, or at least show an understanding of it.
The purposefully helpful summary for this PSA (so far) is that if someone with iOS and Windows devices desires HEVC thumbnails, metadata visibility, and Explorer integration without using the Microsoft Store or paying for
the HEVC extension, then the Icaros freeware remains the most complete and privacy-preserving solution that has been suggested to date in this thread.
Maria Sophia wrote:
The "official" fix from Microsoft is apparently to buy Microsoft's HEVC
Video Extensions (yeah, right), where the moment you pay even a single cent >> for anything, you lose your privacy, so that's a dead end out of the box.
You *do* realize that you can use a 'throw-away' Microsoft Account,
just for the Microsoft Store, don't you!? No need for a Sign-in
Microsoft Account. But yes, it will cost you 99 cents. A disaster!
[...]
it turns out there are only two real Microsoft HEVC codecs
1. The paid Store version
2. and the OEM version.
...w??? wrote:
Sometimes those tin-foil hats worn when claiming loss of privacy are
full of holes or pressed on so tight understanding and clarity are
negated.
Hi Winston,
I respect your acumen so I will explain things to you at an adult level.
OK?
The fact that you're purposefully amplifying trolls notwithstanding, I
would like to open your eyes to an analogy to privacy called hygiene.
My undergrad A.B. degree, as everyone here knows, is in microbiology, so I know things about bacteriology, virology, parasitology, mycology, prions, phages, immunology, physiology, organic and inorganic chemistry, etc.
Hence, my logically sensible argument is that Frank Slootweg's insults
hurled at me simply for using well-known free products, are unwarranted.
To add further value to this thread about interoperating with the iPad HEVC files that are made in "live photo" shots, while Icaros solved the
thumbnail problem, IrfanView 32-bit could not play MOV files from an iPad.
BACKGROUND:
Since my phone is broken, I used the iPad to snap photos where live photo
has an advantage that it can capture flickering multiplexed LED segments.
However, when stepping through the files copied from the iPad to the
Windows PC, Irfanview would no play the MOV files using default settings.
While iOS does allow switching the codec for standard video (H.264 vs.
HEVC), apparently that interoperability setting is not used for the short motion clip embedded in a Live Photo. For Live Photos, Apple always appears to encode the video portion as HEVC inside a MOV container, and there is no user setting I could find that forces H.264 for that specific stream. Even with "Most Compatible" enabled, Live Photos still produced HEVC video.
So the overall iPad-to-PC USB interoperability landscape is (AFAICT)...
a. Apple's iPadOS Live Photos always use HEVC video
b. Windows Explorer needs a HEVC-capable thumbnail provider
c. Icaros freeware solved that problem, preserving privacy
d. IrfanView needs DirectShow + modern codecs (LAV solved that)
Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> wrote:
[...]
While iOS does allow switching the codec for standard video (H.264 vs.
HEVC), apparently that interoperability setting is not used for the short
motion clip embedded in a Live Photo. For Live Photos, Apple always appears >> to encode the video portion as HEVC inside a MOV container, and there is no >> user setting I could find that forces H.264 for that specific stream. Even >> with "Most Compatible" enabled, Live Photos still produced HEVC video.
The playback issue I described was not caused by the capture format anyway. >> IrfanView 32-bit was forcing the old QuickTime plugin for MOV playback, and >> since QUICKTIME.DLL no longer exists on my Windows PC, playback failed
immediately. IrfanView never fell back to DirectShow or LAV Filters.
Once I disabled the QuickTime option to let IrfanView use DirectShow, and
once a modern DirectShow codec pack was installed (LAV Video, LAV Audio,
LAV Splitter), the iPad MOV files played normally, as they should play.
Thanks for the feedback. I already was afraid that (Apple's) Live
Photos would be a special case, i.e. not a 'normal' video. Oh well,
can't win them all.
Install of Irfanview on Win10/Win11 does not enable QuickTime or force
use of 'old' Quicktime.
- Default Video Sound Settings(all auto-enabled/pre-checked as default
on first use)
1. Use internal video/sound player(recommended; Use DirectShow for playing
2. Play MP3/OGG/RA files in main window(using Direct Show option)
3. Try to play Flash video(FLV files in main windows(using Direct Show option)
4. Neither of the two QuickTime options were enabled(i.e. unchecked)
Use Quick Times ror Mov/3GP/MP$FLI/FLC; Use Quick Time for QTIF, MAC
PICT files.
- 2 separate videos created on iPhone 16 using 'Most Compatible setting)
- not High Efficiency(HEIF/HEVC). Both created as *.MOV files. *.MOV
files transferred to both Win10/Win11 using 3 different routes(Upload to OneDrive/sync down to Windows, copied from trusted iPhone to Windows via File Explorer, and emailed from iPhone to POP3 email in Thunderbird)
- 2 separate Live Photos created on iPhone(when using Most Compatible) - Note, these save as JPG/H.264 - photos also transferred to Win10/Win11.
Both MOV files played in Irfanview using the above default installed settings.
Both Live Photo files played in IrfanView using the above default
installed settings.
i.e. Contrary to the op's comment.
=> Irfanview 32-bit does not force QuickTime(when QT is not present).
=> Playing MOV files did not fail because QT was not present.
=> Viewing Live Photo files did not fail because QT(or any other
related) was not present.
=> Irfanview does not fall back to DirectShow b/c QuickTime is not
present - it is the default pre-enabled setting.
The only practical/logical possibility for the op's experience
- Irfanview's settings(before or after the QT dll(or its app) was uninstalled or deleted) for QT was previously enabled.
Thus the only configuration that should have been required on
Win10/Win11 with an untampered o/s to play MOV files or view Live
Photos was Irfanview's 32 bit default setting(Direct Show).
The op's analysis appears to be faulty for MOV files(*.MOV) and Live Photos(JPG/H.264) when created using Apple's common 'Most Compatible' setting/feature on an iPhone(and iPad).
Why does it work? I know<g>
Maybe the op can figure out(why), too!
Frank Slootweg wrote:
iTunes(no Quicktime)Those are indeed the defaults.
Why does it work? I know<g>
Maybe the op can figure out(why), too!
Thanks Winston & Frank for reporting what your observations are, so that everyone on the team (Windows, iOS and digital photos group) benefits.
For the sake of those who don't know, iTunes is an Apple product.
It's not natively installed on Windows. The user usually installs it.
Once iTunes is installed, the system is no longer "indeed the defaults".
a. Apple iTunes is not "just a music player."
b. Apple iTunes installs a huge Apple media subsystem on Windows.
Hence, it's impossible for anyone to say with certainty that the "defaults" are what the settings happen to be at any given moment *after* iTunes has been installed, for example, even without QuickTime, iTunes installs a
large
portion of Apple's media framework on Windows such as ... a. Apple Application Support (32-bit, 64-bit)
i. CoreFoundation.dll
ii. CoreGraphics.dll
iii. CoreMedia.dll
iv. CoreAudioToolbox.dll
v. ImageIO.dll
vi. Apple-specific proprietary MOV/MP4 parsing libraries
b. Apple Mobile Device Support
i. Libraries for reading iPhone/iPad media bundles
ii. Components for handling Live Photos and HEIF/HEVC assets
iii. Apple File Conduit (AFC) services
c. Apple QuickTime compatibility shims
i. Not the old QuickTime player
ii. But compatibility layers that mimic parts of the old API
iii. These can change how Windows selects decoders
d. Apple HEIF/HEVC support modules (varies by iTunes version)
i. HEIF parsing libraries
ii. HEVC decoding helpers
iii. Sidecar metadata handlers
e. Apple Photo Stream and iCloud hooks (optional)
i. Additional media handlers
ii. Additional codecs for HEIC/HEVC
And probably a few things that I omitted in this quick response.
In short: iTunes is effectively a codec pack. It installs Apple's media stack, which can change how Windows and DirectShow handle MOV files,
Live Photos, and HEVC/H.264 content.
This means Winston's test environment was not a "clean" Windows install.
It was a Windows system with Apple's media framework already present,
which might explain why his IrfanView behaved differently from mine did.
But I do wish to momentarily point out Winston's theatrical performance was duly noted, so I simply refer to his comments as... well... unhelpful.
Winston's unhelpful theatrical performance that he knows the "secret" and that I don't notwithstanding, I'm not trying to "win" silly games here.
--
Posting this clarification for others who may encounter similar issues.
...w??? wrote:
It's really simple, one only needs Window 10/11 in an untampered
install and Irfanview with default settings and no other software to
play iPhone/iPad 'Most compatible' created MOV and Live Photo Files.
Hint: It's not Irfanview why it works.
Thanks Winston. For the benefit of others following along in the Windows, iOS, and digital photography groups, I want to summarize the situation without getting pulled into personalities.
There is no "riddle" here. The difference in behavior between your system
and mine comes down to configuration history.
IrfanView preserves its settings across upgrades. On my system, the
QuickTime option had been enabled years ago when QuickTime for Windows
was still common. Once that option is enabled, IrfanView will continue
to try to load QUICKTIME.DLL even if the DLL is no longer present. That
is exactly what happened: IrfanView attempted to load QuickTime first,
failed immediately, and never fell back to DirectShow.
Disabling the QuickTime option resolved the issue instantly.
Your system did not have that option enabled, so IrfanView used
DirectShow from the start. That explains the difference in behavior.
Regarding iTunes: installing iTunes does not install the old QuickTime Player, but it does install Apple Application Support (32-bit and
64-bit), Apple Mobile Device Support, CoreMedia components, ImageIO, and other Apple-originated media libraries. These do not replace DirectShow,
but they do participate in how Windows parses MOV containers, Live Photo paired assets, and certain HEVC/H.264 combinations. Their presence means
your system is not identical to a stock Windows installation.
None of this is controversial. It simply explains why two different
systems, with different histories and different installed components,
behaved differently.
Posting this summary for the benefit of others who may encounter the
same issue on systems with older IrfanView configurations or without
Apple media components installed.
...Winston wrote:
problem with MOV and Live Photos is/was user induced.
For the benefit of others following along, I want to not get dragged into a completely irrelevant personality contest in order to keep this PSA focused on the technical side so readers can understand why two systems behaved differently given this PSA is about how to fix Windows explorer being blind to iPad sidecar MOV thumbnails.
| Sysop: | Tetrazocine |
|---|---|
| Location: | Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
| Users: | 15 |
| Nodes: | 8 (0 / 8) |
| Uptime: | 234:21:25 |
| Calls: | 207 |
| Files: | 21,502 |
| Messages: | 83,204 |