How to open a HEIC file on Windows, Mac and Android
HEIC is the photo format iPhones use by default. Here is how to open it on every system, how to stop your iPhone producing it — and the quickest way to turn HEIC into JPG without uploading anything.
A .heic file is a photo saved in the High Efficiency Image File format (HEIF) with HEVC compression. Apple made it the default camera format in iOS 11 because it stores the same picture at roughly half the size of a JPG, with support for 16-bit colour, Live Photos and depth data. The catch: outside Apple’s ecosystem many programs still cannot read it, which is why a HEIC photo mailed to a Windows PC often shows up as an unknown file.
You have three options: install the codecs so your system can display HEIC, switch the iPhone to JPG for future photos, or convert the files you already have. All three are covered below.
Opening HEIC by system
| System | What works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | Photos app after installing “HEIF Image Extensions” and “HEVC Video Extensions” from the Microsoft Store | the HEVC extension is the one usually missing |
| Windows 10 | same two extensions (version 1809 or later) | HEVC extension from the Store may cost a small fee |
| macOS | Preview, Photos, Quick Look — native since High Sierra | nothing to install |
| iPhone / iPad | Photos app — native | HEIC is the default capture format |
| Android 9+ | Gallery / Google Photos — native | older Android needs a third-party viewer |
| Web browsers | not displayed directly (except Safari) | convert to JPG or PNG first |
| Any system | convert HEIC to JPG in the browser | imagenimble decodes locally, no upload |
Windows: install the HEIF and HEVC extensions
Open the Microsoft Store and install “HEIF Image Extensions” (free). If HEIC files still show a broken thumbnail, add “HEVC Video Extensions” as well — HEIC images use the HEVC codec, and this second package is the one Windows usually lacks; on some machines it is a small paid download, on others the device manufacturer’s free version is available. After both are installed, the Photos app, File Explorer thumbnails and most image viewers open HEIC files directly.
Mac, iPhone and Android
On a Mac, HEIC opens in Preview and Photos and can be exported as JPG from the File menu. On Android 9 or newer the Gallery and Google Photos display HEIC; older Android versions need a viewer app or a conversion. Sending a HEIC photo through messaging apps often converts it to JPG automatically, but email attachments and cloud drives keep the original.
Stop the iPhone from making HEIC files
Go to Settings › Camera › Formats and choose “Most Compatible”: the camera then saves JPG (and H.264 video) instead of HEIC. For photos you already have, Settings › Photos › “Transfer to Mac or PC” set to “Automatic” converts HEIC to JPG whenever you copy pictures by cable. Both settings cost storage — HEIC files are about half the size — so many people keep HEIC and convert only what they need to share.
Convert HEIC to JPG without uploading
imagenimble’s HEIC to JPG tool decodes the file in your browser and re-encodes it as JPG (or PNG if you need lossless output). Drop a whole batch, adjust quality, download individually or as a ZIP — the photos never leave your device, so private pictures stay private. Because JPG is 8-bit, very wide-gamut or HDR photos may lose a little colour range; for most snapshots the difference is invisible.
Frequently asked questions
Windows needs two codecs from the Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions. Without the HEVC one, HEIC photos show as broken files.
HEIC stores the same image at about half the size with more colour depth, but JPG opens everywhere. Keep HEIC for storage, convert to JPG for sharing.
A little — JPG is lossy and 8-bit — but at high quality the difference is not visible in normal photos.
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser; the file is never sent to a server.
Not directly — only Safari displays HEIC. Convert to JPG or PNG first.