HEICConverterIMAGE CONVERTERConvert images
WINDOWS HOW-TO

How to open HEIC files on Windows 10 and Windows 11

If Windows cannot preview an iPhone photo, check image extension support before changing or converting the original file.

Windows compatibility

HEIC photos can be opened on Windows 10 and Windows 11 when the installed Windows components and image application support the format. If you see a message that an extension is required, it usually means the current Photos setup cannot decode that file yet.

1. Try the Windows Photos app

  1. Open the folder containing the .heic photo.
  2. Right-click the image and choose Open with, then select Photos.
  3. If Windows displays a prompt for a codec or extension, follow the Microsoft Store link shown by Windows and review the publisher and compatibility details before installing.

Availability and requirements can vary by Windows version, device and app update. Use Microsoft's current Store listing and Windows support information rather than downloading codec installers from unknown websites.

2. Check the image extension support

Windows may need the HEIF Image Extensions component to read HEIF containers. Some files may also depend on HEVC video extensions or device-specific support. The exact requirement depends on how the photo was encoded and the Windows build.

Install extensions only from a trusted Microsoft source. Avoid random codec bundles, executable downloads and sites that ask you to disable security protections.

3. Try another compatible image viewer

If Photos still cannot open the file, check whether your organization-approved image viewer supports HEIC/HEIF. Keep the original file unchanged while troubleshooting. On managed work devices, ask your IT administrator before installing software or Store extensions.

4. Convert HEIC to JPG for wider compatibility

If the application or website you need only accepts JPEG, create a JPG copy. A converter must actually decode the HEIC image and encode it as JPEG; changing the extension in File Explorer does not perform conversion.

  1. Open the HEICConverter.
  2. Select one or more .heic or .heif images.
  3. Choose JPG (.jpg) in the Convert to menu.
  4. Select Convert & download and save the generated file.

The converter accepts up to 10 files with a combined upload size of 20 MiB. Selected images are uploaded to the conversion server for processing. Do not upload confidential or sensitive photos unless you have reviewed the site's privacy and image-processing notice.

Why not just rename .heic to .jpg?

A filename extension does not determine the actual encoding inside an image. Renaming a HEIC file to .jpg leaves its data encoded as HEIC, so software that expects JPEG may still reject it.

Keep image quality in mind

JPEG uses lossy compression. If you need to preserve the original, keep your HEIC file and treat the JPG as a separate compatibility copy. If your destination supports PNG and you need lossless encoding, choose PNG instead, noting that file sizes may be larger.

Related reading: what HEIC means and how it compares with JPG.