How do I upload HEIF/HEVC photos and videos from iOS 18 to iCloud for Windows on a PC without thumbnails and metadata?

I think many iCloud for Windows users have encountered a situation where, in the advanced settings of this application, they found a setting for downloading in High Efficiency format that cannot be disabled (see the first photo). It seems that there is a choice, but in reality there is none - the check mark in the box cannot be removed: they are gray.

This means that if you took photos or videos in iOS 18 in High Efficiency (HEIF/HEVC) format, you will not be able to upload your content to your PC in the most compatible formats: JPEG for photos and H.264 for videos.

I've been looking for ways to get rid of the gray jackdaw for a long time.… And finally I realized that iCloud for Windows, if it detects that Microsoft's "HEVC Extension for Windows" is present on your PC, it forcibly enables the ability to download HEIF/HEVC files in the original format without the possibility of disabling. It's not at all clear why Apple did this, but that's the problem.

And you can solve this problem only by completely getting rid of this extension on your PC. That is, you need to delete it, log in to iCloud for Windows again and see the new state in the advanced settings (see the second photo), and then upload photos and videos with this state of settings.

In addition, photos and videos taken in High Efficiency format in iOS 18 will only load normally to a PC with thumbnails and metadata when the iCloud settings for Windows are in this state.

Unfortunately, photos and videos originally taken in iOS 18 in the most compatible format are now uploaded to iCloud for Windows incomplete in any state of settings: without thumbnails and metadata.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]