Open HEIC on Windows

Your iPhone photos will not open on your PC? Convert HEIC to JPG right here — no paid codec, no installs, no uploads. One photo or a whole batch.

Your files never leave your device — all processing happens in your browser.

Drop your HEIC photos here

Select images

or drop them here — batch supported · .heic, .heif

Done — your photos now open on Windows!

Everything happened inside your browser — your photos were never uploaded anywhere, so there is nothing to delete. Need the plain converter without the Windows guide? HEIC to JPG is here.

Why Windows cannot open HEIC files

You copy photos from your iPhone to your Windows PC — via USB cable, iCloud, or AirDrop to a friend's laptop — and instead of pictures you get a folder of .heic files that nothing opens. Double-clicking shows an error, File Explorer shows blank icons, and the Photos app asks for a codec. Your photos are not broken. Windows simply does not understand Apple's default photo format.

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) has been the iPhone's default since iOS 11 because the files are roughly half the size of JPEGs. Inside, most HEIC photos are compressed with HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also called H.265) — a patent-encumbered codec Microsoft does not bundle with Windows for licensing reasons. That single licensing decision is why a fresh Windows 10 or 11 install cannot open your iPhone photos.

Open HEIC on Windows 10 and Windows 11: the official codec path

Microsoft's official fix is two downloads from the Microsoft Store, and you need both:

  1. HEIF Image Extensions (free) — teaches Windows the HEIC container format, so File Explorer, Photos and Paint recognize the files.
  2. HEVC Video Extensions (around $0.99, paid) — the actual decoder. This is the one that matters; without it, Photos still refuses to open most HEIC files. Some PCs include an HEVC decoder free via the manufacturer, but most show the paid listing.

After installing both, restart the Photos app and your HEIC files should open and thumbnail like normal images. Honest caveats: it costs about a dollar, it does not batch-convert anything, corporate PCs often block Microsoft Store installs entirely — and even with both codecs installed, Microsoft's own support forums show Photos sometimes still fails to open HEIC files.

Open HEIC on Windows without installing any codec

The alternative skips Microsoft's codecs entirely: convert the HEIC photos to JPG. JPG is the format every Windows app since forever understands — Photos, Paint, Office, File Explorer thumbnails, all of it, with zero installs. That is what the converter above does, right in your browser:

  1. Drop your HEIC photos — one or a whole batch.
  2. Convert. Each photo decodes and re-encodes to JPG locally on your PC. Nothing uploads, so it works on locked-down corporate machines too.
  3. Download the JPGs — individually or as one ZIP. They open everywhere, and you can share them with anyone regardless of their codecs.

At the recommended 92% quality the JPGs are visually identical to the HEIC originals. Conversion is the better choice whenever you need to share or upload the photos, not just view them — a codec only fixes your own PC, while a JPG works on every PC.

Windows 10 vs Windows 11: any difference?

Both need the same two Store extensions, and both hit the same paid-HEVC wrinkle. Windows 11 PCs are slightly more likely to have HEIF support preinstalled, but neither version opens HEIC out of the box on a clean install. The browser converter above works identically on both — and on Windows 7/8 too, where no official codec exists at all.

Viewing iPhone photos on a PC: practical tips

  • Transfer tip: when copying via USB, iPhone can auto-convert to JPG during transfer (Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic). It does not help with photos already on your PC, though.
  • Batch tip: codec installation is per-PC; if you regularly receive iPhone photos, converting a folder to JPG once beats installing codecs on every machine.
  • Sharing tip: email the JPGs, not the HEICs — your recipient's PC has the same codec problem you just solved.
  • Want the plain converter? This page is the Windows guide; the underlying tool is our HEIC to JPG converter — same engine, no Windows framing. For the smallest files for web use, try HEIC to WebP.

Frequently asked questions

Why won't Windows Photos open my HEIC file?

Windows does not ship the HEVC decoder that most HEIC photos need, for patent-licensing reasons. Photos shows a "codec missing" style error. You either install Microsoft's two Store extensions (HEIF Image Extensions free + HEVC Video Extensions paid) or convert the photos to JPG, which needs no codec at all.

How do I open HEIC on Windows 10?

Either install HEIF Image Extensions (free) and HEVC Video Extensions (~$0.99) from the Microsoft Store, then open with the Photos app — or skip the installs and convert your HEIC photos to JPG in the browser above. The JPGs open in every Windows 10 app natively.

How do I open HEIC on Windows 11?

Same as Windows 10: the two Store extensions, or browser conversion to JPG. Windows 11 is slightly more likely to have HEIF support preinstalled, but the paid HEVC extension is still commonly required.

Is the HEVC Video Extensions codec really paid?

Microsoft's consumer Store listing for HEVC Video Extensions is typically around $0.99. Some PCs include HEVC free via the device manufacturer or graphics driver — check what your Store shows. The HEIF Image Extensions companion is free.

Can I open HEIC on Windows without installing anything?

Yes — that is exactly what the converter on this page does. It decodes HEIC and encodes JPG entirely inside your browser: no Store downloads, no admin rights needed, nothing uploaded. Useful on corporate PCs where Store installs are blocked.

Will converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?

At the recommended 92% setting, the JPGs are visually identical to the HEIC originals. Technically it is a re-encode between two lossy formats, so we say "visually identical" rather than "lossless" — but you will not see a difference.

What about File Explorer thumbnails for HEIC?

Thumbnails appear once the HEIF/HEVC extensions are installed. If you convert to JPG instead, thumbnails work immediately with no installs — JPG has been thumbnailed by Explorer for decades.

I installed both codecs and Photos still won't open HEIC. Now what?

This is a known issue — Microsoft's own community forums document it. Try: Microsoft Store → Library → update Photos and both extensions, close and reopen Photos, restart Windows. If it still fails, conversion to JPG sidesteps the codec stack completely.

Should I keep the HEIC originals after converting?

Yes, if storage allows — HEIC files are about half the size of equivalent JPGs and carry more color data. Convert copies for sharing and viewing; keep originals for archiving.

Does this work for HEIC photos from Android phones too?

Yes — HEIC is HEIC regardless of which phone shot it. Drop any .heic/.heif file and it converts the same way.

Related tools

Using Open HEIC on Windows

Is Open HEIC on Windows free to use without signup?

Yes. EzySize’s Open HEIC on Windows tool is free to use without creating an account. Advertising may appear on this page; the tool remains free to use. Use the controls above and check the result against your requirements.