Guide: Fix ‘iCloud’s Old­er Ver­sion of Win­dows Error’ Issue

Apple’s iCloud for Windows has been updated, but users may have noticed an odd message about iCloud Photos: “We discovered you’re using an older version of Windows.” Why is this happening and how can it be fixed?

Take action now to prevent the same error from popping up every time you boot your computer.

Update Windows 10

Updating Windows 10 is essential, and it’s time to do so if you haven’t already. Before you begin, however, make sure to check your current version.

To find out which version of Windows you’re running, type “winver” into the Start menu or search box and press Enter. The About Windows box that appears will display the version number.

To use iCloud for Windows 11.1, your PC must have the January update (Windows 10 1909 OS Build 18363) or higher installed. If your PC is already up-to-date, you can proceed to the next section. Otherwise, close the About Windows box and continue updating Windows on your PC.

To update Windows 10, type “windows update” into the Start menu or search box, then click “Check for updates” on the Windows Update console. Download and install the latest updates, then restart your PC to complete the process.

Install HEIF Codec

iPhone users can now take higher-quality photos with less storage space thanks to HEIF (HEIC), a revolutionary file format. This format offers superior images with better depth maps and a wider color gamut, allowing users to capture more vivid shots without taking up too much space.

Windows 10 does not natively support the HEIF image format, but users can easily install a Microsoft-provided codec to ensure compatibility.

Visit the Microsoft Store and download HEIC Image Extensions to view photos in the HEIF format.

Install HEVC decoder

iPhone users can now store twice as much video content as before, thanks to the HEVC format. This new format allows for higher resolution recordings and is a major benefit for those who take lots of videos on their phones.

Windows 10 lacks native support for the HEVC format, meaning iCloud Photos requires a decoder to enable playback of video files on PCs.

Microsoft has released two HEVC codecs to decode video files, one free and one for a small fee. The two extensions have similar descriptions, but are distinguished by their names: ‘HEVC video extensions’ and ‘HEVC video extensions from device manufacturer’.

The paid version of a video streaming service offers the ability to both play and produce HEVC encoded video content, while the free version only allows users to play such content.

Microsoft Store searches for “HEVC Video Extensions” will only return the paid version of the extension. To get the free version, users should look elsewhere.

Live flawlessly

After updating Windows 10 to OS Build 18636 (1909) and installing the HEIF and HEVC image and video codecs, users will no longer see a message in their action center informing them they are using an outdated version of the operating system.

Using iCloud for Windows can be tricky, so if you’re having trouble, check out these troubleshooting guides for iCloud Drive and iCloud Photos.

Fix ‘iCloud’s Old­er Ver­sion of Win­dows Error’ Issue: benefits

Faq

Final note

We’ve created a guide to help you fix the ‘iCloud’s Older Version of Windows Error’ issue. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. And if you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends!

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