How to open HEIC files on Windows
Why iPhone photos will not open on a Windows PC, and three free ways to fix it.
You copy photos off an iPhone, double-click one on a Windows laptop, and get an error or a blank window. The files end in .heic, and Windows does not know what to do with them. This is one of the most common file problems there is, and it has a few free fixes.
Why Windows cannot open HEIC
HEIC photos are compressed with HEVC, the codec also used for 4K video. HEVC is covered by patents, so Microsoft does not include a decoder in Windows for free. Windows 10 and 11 can open HEIC only after you add two extensions from the Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions, which is free, and HEVC Video Extensions, which usually costs a small fee. Some computers came with the HEVC extension preinstalled by the manufacturer, which is why a HEIC photo opens on one PC and not another.
Option 1: convert the photos to JPG
The fix that works everywhere is to convert the photos. A JPG opens in every program, uploads to every website and prints at every photo lab. The HEIC to JPG converter does it in your browser: drop a folder of HEIC photos, choose JPG, and download them as a ZIP. The photos are not uploaded, which matters for personal pictures, and the conversion keeps the full resolution.
This is the right choice when you need to send the photos on, upload them to a form, or keep them in a format that will still open in ten years.
Option 2: install the Windows extensions
If you only need to look at the photos on your own PC, open the Microsoft Store, search for HEIF Image Extensions and install it. Then search for HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer; if your PC shows it as free, install that, otherwise the paid HEVC Video Extensions does the same job. Photos and File Explorer thumbnails will then show HEIC files. They are still HEIC, though, so they will still fail on websites and in older software.
Option 3: let the iPhone convert when you copy
On the iPhone, open Settings, then Photos, and at the bottom set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic. When you copy photos to a computer with a cable, the iPhone converts them to JPG on the way. This does not help with photos that arrive by WhatsApp, email, AirDrop to a Mac first, or cloud storage such as iCloud and Google Photos exports.
Stop taking HEIC photos at all
If every photo you take ends up on Windows or the web, change the camera format. Open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG. The trade-off is space: JPGs take roughly twice the storage of HEIC, so a phone that is nearly full will fill up faster.
Which option to choose
| Situation | Best fix |
|---|---|
| Photos need to be sent, uploaded or printed | Convert to JPG |
| You only view photos on your own PC | Install the Windows extensions |
| You copy photos by cable regularly | iPhone transfer setting: Automatic |
| Every photo ends up on Windows | Camera format: Most Compatible |
A note on privacy
Many free HEIC converters upload your photos to a server to convert them. Family photos, pictures of documents and anything taken at home can reveal more than you expect, including GPS location in the file's metadata. Converting in the browser avoids both problems: the photo never leaves your computer, and the converted JPG does not carry the location data across.