How to open HEIC files on Windows 10 and 11
Updated October 12, 2026 · By Lee Palmer
Photos copied from an iPhone often arrive on a Windows PC as .heic files that will not open, preview or upload. Windows can read them, but only after two add-ons are installed. Here are your options, from quickest to most permanent.
The short answer
| Option | Best when | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Convert to JPG in your browser | You need JPGs now, for an upload, email or print | Free |
| Install the HEIF and HEVC extensions | You want Photos and File Explorer to open HEIC | Free to about $0.99 |
| Change iPhone transfer settings | You copy photos to the PC with a cable | Free |
Option 1: convert the photos to JPG
Open the HEIC to JPG converter, drop in your photos, and download them individually or as a ZIP. It runs in the browser, so it works on any Windows PC without installing anything, and the photos are never uploaded.
Option 2: install the Windows extensions
HEIC photos are compressed with the HEVC (H.265) codec. Windows needs two Microsoft Store add-ons to decode them:
- HEIF Image Extensions: free, handles the HEIC container.
- HEVC Video Extensions: handles the codec. Many new Windows 11 PCs already include it. If not, the standard package costs about $0.99 in the US, and some PCs can install the free “HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer” version.
After both are installed, restart the Photos app. HEIC files then open in Photos and show thumbnails in File Explorer. Source: TechJournal, September 2026
Note that this only lets your PC open the files. Websites, printers and other people’s computers may still reject HEIC, so converting is often the better fix for sharing.
Option 3: let the iPhone convert when you copy
On the iPhone, open Settings › Apps › Photos (on older iOS versions, Settings › Photos), scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC and choose Automatic. Photos copied over a USB cable are then converted to JPEG on the way. This does not change photos synced through iCloud or shared by other apps. To stop new photos being saved as HEIC at all, see the iPhone HEIC settings guide.
Common problems
The photo opens but looks rotated
Some older viewers ignore HEIC rotation information. Converting to JPG fixes the orientation permanently.
An upload form says “file type not supported”
The site only accepts JPG or PNG. Convert the photo first; if the form also has a size limit, run the JPG through the image resizer.
Can I convert Live Photos?
The still part of a Live Photo is a normal HEIC image and converts as usual. The short video clip is a separate file.