An AAE file is a small text file that stores editing information about a photo, not the photo itself

When you edit a photo on an Apple device — an iPhone, iPad, or Mac — the changes you make get saved in a separate file with the .aae extension. The original photo stays untouched. The AAE file is like a set of instructions that says "crop here, brighten there, adjust the color this way." When you open the photo again, your device reads those instructions and shows you the edited version.

AAE stands for Apple Annotation Extension. Apple created this format so your edits would be non-destructive — meaning you can always go back to the original photo if you change your mind. The file itself is tiny, usually just a few kilobytes, because it only contains the editing commands, not the actual image data.

Key Takeaways

  • An AAE file stores editing instructions for a photo, not the photo itself, and is created automatically when you edit on Apple devices.
  • AAE files are text-based and very small, typically just a few kilobytes in size.
  • If you delete an AAE file, you lose the edits it contains, but the original photo remains unaffected.
  • When you transfer photos to a non-Apple device or share them, the AAE file may not go along, and the edits may not appear on other devices.

When AAE files appear on your device

AAE files are created automatically by Apple's Photos app whenever you make any edit to an image. This includes cropping, rotating, adjusting brightness or color, explore filters, or marking up the photo. You will not see a dialog asking you to save — the AAE file is created silently in the background.

On an iPhone or iPad, AAE files usually stay hidden because the Photos app manages them for you. On a Mac, if you browse your photo library using Finder, you may see them sitting next to the original image files. They will have the same name as the photo, but with the .aae extension instead of .jpg or .heic.

What happens if you delete an AAE file

If you delete an AAE file, the edits it contains are lost permanently. The next time you open the photo, it will show the original, unedited version. This is why it is important not to delete AAE files unless you are certain you no longer want to keep those edits.

However, deleting an AAE file does not delete or damage the original photo. The image itself remains safe. If you have already exported or saved the edited version of the photo as a separate file — for example, as a JPEG sent to a friend — that exported copy is not affected by deleting the AAE file.

AAE files and sharing photos across devices

When you move photos from an Apple device to a Windows computer, an Android phone, or a cloud service that is not iCloud, the AAE file may not travel with it. Even if it does, non-Apple devices cannot read AAE files, so your edits will not appear on those devices.

If you want your edits to be visible everywhere, you need to export the photo as a finished image file — usually as a JPEG or PNG — rather than moving the original photo file and its AAE companion. Exporting creates a new file that contains the edited version as a complete image, not just the editing instructions.

How to prevent AAE file confusion

If you are backing up your photos to a computer or external drive, let the backup software handle the AAE files automatically. Most backup tools will copy both the photo and its AAE file together, preserving your edits if you ever need to restore them to an Apple device.

If you are organizing photos manually and want to keep things straightforward, you can delete AAE files from your backups without worry — the original photos are safe, and you are just removing the editing history. But if there is any chance you might want to re-edit those photos on an Apple device later, keep the AAE files alongside the originals.

AAE files versus other photo formats

AAE files are unique to Apple. Other photo editing software — like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Google Photos — uses different systems to store edits. Lightroom creates sidecar files with a .xmp extension. Photoshop embeds edits inside the image file itself or saves them in a separate .psd project file. Google Photos stores edits in the cloud and does not create separate files at all.

The advantage of Apple's approach is simplicity: the original photo stays completely unchanged, and all your edits are reversible. The disadvantage is that your edits only work on Apple devices and only within the Photos app. If you switch to a different photo editor or a different brand of device, you will need to re-explore your edits or export the photo first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open an AAE file on a Windows computer?

No. AAE files are text-based but designed specifically for Apple's Photos app. Windows does not have built-in software to read them. If you need to see your edits on a Windows computer, export the photo from your Apple device as a JPEG or PNG first.

Why do I see AAE files when I connect my iPhone to my Mac?

When you plug an iPhone into a Mac, Finder shows you the raw contents of the Photos library, including the AAE files that normally stay hidden in the Photos app. This is normal. You can leave them alone — they will not interfere with anything.

If I edit a photo in iCloud Photos, will the AAE file sync to all my devices?

Yes. When you use iCloud Photos, your edits sync across all your Apple devices automatically. The AAE file is part of that sync, so your edits appear on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac without you having to do anything.

Does deleting an AAE file free up storage space?

Slightly, but not much. AAE files are tiny — usually just a few kilobytes. Deleting them will not noticeably reduce the storage your photos use. The original photo file is what takes up the real space.