iPhone AAE file format

What are AAE files?

.AAE files (XML-based format) are created by Apple’s Photos application and store information about modifications made to a particular file. These files are additional, allowing the original files to remain unmodified in case users decide to revert photos to their original states. So, if .AAE files are deleted, only adjustments made to a photo or image through the Photos application are lost.

Do we keep them or delete them?

The AAE files are so small that they hardly take up the device storage. You could leave them. But if you feel them cluttering your folders, you can delete them and make sure that the photos edited are final since you cant go back to editing those photos if aae file related to that image gets deleted.