What is a HEIC file? How to open and convert iPhone photos

Updated October 18, 2026

If you've copied photos from an iPhone and found files ending in .heic that won't open or upload, you're not alone. Here's what HEIC is and the easiest ways to deal with it.

What HEIC is

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the format iPhones have used by default since iOS 11. It stores photos at roughly half the size of a JPG of similar quality, which saves a lot of space on your phone and in iCloud. The downside is compatibility: many Windows PCs, websites, upload forms and older apps can't open it.

Option 1: Convert to JPG

The quickest fix for a few photos is to convert them. Drop them into HEIC to JPG and download the results. Conversion happens in your browser, so your photos aren't uploaded anywhere. Choose HEIC to PNG instead if you want a lossless copy for editing.

Option 2: Open HEIC files on Windows

Recent versions of Windows 11 can open HEIC photos in the Photos app. If yours can't, install HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store (free). Some HEIC photos also need HEVC Video Extensions, which Microsoft sells for a small fee. After installing, HEIC files open in Photos and show thumbnails in File Explorer, but websites still won't accept them, so you'll still need to convert files you upload.

Option 3: Let your iPhone convert automatically

Go to Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC and choose Automatic. Photos copied to a computer over a cable are then converted to JPG on the way. Your phone keeps the space-saving HEIC versions.

Option 4: Make your iPhone take JPG photos

Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG. They'll take up roughly twice as much space, so this is best if you constantly need JPGs and don't mind using more storage.

Which option should you choose?

You occasionally need to upload or email a photo: keep HEIC and convert just those photos.
You regularly copy photos to a Windows PC: use the Automatic transfer setting.
Every app you use needs JPG: switch the camera to Most Compatible.

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

A tiny amount, because JPG compresses differently. At the 92% quality our converter uses, the difference isn't visible. The JPG will be larger than the HEIC; if a form has a size limit, run the result through Compress Image.

Tools used in this guide

HEIC to JPGConvert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG in your browser. HEIC to PNGConvert iPhone HEIC images to lossless PNG in your browser. Compress ImageShrink JPG, PNG and WebP images to an exact file size in KB.