How to open HEIC files on Windows
You copy photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC, double-click one, and get an error or a blank window. That's because iPhones save photos as HEIC by default, and Windows doesn't fully support it out of the box. Here are three free ways to fix it, from quickest to most permanent.
Option 1: Convert HEIC to JPG in your browser
If you just need the photos to work everywhere, converting them to JPG is the simplest fix. JPG opens in every Windows app, website and upload form.
- Open the HEIC to JPG converter.
- Drag your HEIC files onto the page. You can add many at once.
- Download them one by one, or all together as a ZIP.
The conversion runs inside your browser, so the photos are never uploaded. GPS location data is also removed from the converted copies, which makes them safer to share.
Option 2: Install Microsoft's HEIF Image Extensions
Windows can view HEIC photos once you add Microsoft's codec from the Microsoft Store.
- Open the Microsoft Store and search for HEIF Image Extensions. It's free.
- Install it, then open your photo again in the Photos app.
- If photos still don't open, the store may also ask for HEVC Video Extensions, which is a small paid add-on in many regions.
This lets you view HEIC files, but many other programs and websites still won't accept them. If you need to upload or email the photos, converting to JPG is usually still necessary.
Option 3: Make your iPhone send JPG automatically
You can stop the problem at the source so future photos arrive as JPG:
- Transfer as JPG: on your iPhone go to Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC and choose Automatic. Photos copied over a cable are converted to a compatible format.
- Shoot in JPG: go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG, and the files are a bit larger.
Photos already on your phone or PC stay HEIC, so you'll still need to convert those once.
Which option should I pick?
If you need to send, upload or edit the photos, convert them to JPG. If you only want to look at them on your own PC, the free HEIF extension is enough. To avoid the issue in the future, change the iPhone transfer setting.