RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
October 19, 2021
Apple’s iPhone and iPad takes photos in the HEIF image format by default. These photos have the HEIC file extension. Windows 10 can view HEIC files in just a few clicks; or you can convert them to standard JPEGs and view them anywhere. Let’s explore how this is done.
This is for devices running Windows 10, iPhone, and iPad
What is HEIC
HEIC is the name that Apple gave to its container for the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File) image format and is based on the HEVC (High Efficiency Video Compression) video format.
What it means for you are high-quality images that take up less storage space thanks to a more modern compression method.
You can disable HEIC on the iPhone, but since its introduction in iOS 11, it has become Apple’s default photo storage format.
How to View HEIC Files
On modern versions of Windows 10, you can install support for HEIC image files.
First, locate an HEIC file in File Explorer on your computer and double-click it. If you are asked which application you want to open it in, select Photos.
Note! If the HEIC file does not open in the Photos app, right-click the HEIC file and select
Open With > Photos
Refer to below image:
The Photos app will tell you that the HEIF Image Extension is required to display this file. Click the Download and install it now link to get it from the Microsoft Store. It’s a free download. If you do not see this requirement screen, do a Google search and install the extension. See below image:
If Windows asks Did you mean to switch apps?, select Yes.
This will open the HEIF Image Extensions page in the Microsoft Store app. Click the Install or Get button to download support for HEIC image files (which use the HEIF format.) See following image:
On the next screen, if the extension is already installed, you are set. If not, the Launch button will display Install instead. Just click to install the extension. Refer to below image:
Now, when you open an HEIC image in the Photos app, you will be able to view it like you would any other image file, like a JPEG, PNG, GIF, or BMP. See below image:
Windows 10’s File Explorer will automatically generate and display thumbnails for your HEIC image files, too. See following image:
Convert HEIC to JPEG
To quickly and easily convert HEIC files to standard JPEG images on Windows, we recommend you download and install CopyTrans HEIC for Windows.
This tool installs full support for HEIC images in Windows, so it’s particularly useful on Windows 7 and older versions of Windows 10 that do not have integrated support in the Photos app. It adds support for HEIC images to the classic Windows Photo Viewer.
CopyTrans HEIC also allows you to right-click an HEIC file in File Explorer and select Convert to JPEG to easily convert it to a JPEG file. Select the option and you will get a JPEG version of the image automatically placed in the same folder as the original HEIC file.
JPEG files are more widely supported, so this will help you use the HEIC file in applications that support JPEG images but not HEIC files. Refer to below image:
Change the Default
If you find dealing with HEIC files inconvenient, you can also configure your iPhone to always take photos in JPEG format.
Go to
Settings > Camera > Formats > (and checkmark) Most Compatible
instead of High Efficiency. See below image:
However, HEIC offers higher image quality in smaller file sizes. It’s a more modern image format, and we recommend sticking with it if the applications you use support it.
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