Why iPhone HEIC Photos Won’t Open on Windows

If you've transferred photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC and found blank thumbnails or error messages, you've hit the HEIC compatibility gap.
 

Since Apple made HEIF the default capture format in iOS 11, every iPhone photo saves as HEIC unless you manually change settings.
 

Samsung Galaxy users encounter the same problem when they enable "High efficiency pictures" in camera settings - a storage-saving option that many discover was toggled on after a software update.

The technology makes sense for storage - HEIC files occupy roughly half the space of equivalent JPEGs while supporting 16-bit color and HDR content.

The problem emerges when those photos leave your phone.

Most websites and email clients expect JPEG uploads, web browsers offer no native HEIC support, and Windows requires additional codecs before File Explorer can display thumbnails.

Solving the Windows Compatibility Problem

Windows users can add native HEIC support by installing the HEIF Image Extensions alongside the HEVC Video Extensions - with a free version from device manufacturers available.

For streamlined integration, CopyTrans HEIC displays thumbnails like JPEGs and enables right-click conversion, while WIC for HEIC adds system-wide support automatically.

Converting HEIC to JPEG

When sharing with users lacking HEIC support, iMazing Converter handles both HEIC photos and HEVC videos with adjustable quality settings.

For batch processing, XnConvert converts hundreds of files simultaneously while applying additional transformations. Convertico's HEIC Online Converters processes files in your browser without uploading to external servers.

Image Viewers with Native HEIC Support

Several viewers handle HEIC directly. IrfanView gains capability through its plugins pack, XnView supports over 700 formats including HEIC, and PicView offers modern HEIC and AVIF support on Windows and macOS.

FastStone Image Viewer and JPEGView provide lightweight alternatives.

Should You Switch Your Phone to JPEG?

On iPhone, navigate to Settings > Camera > Formats and select "Most Compatible" to capture JPEGs instead.

Samsung users can disable HEIC by opening Camera > Settings > Advanced picture options and turning off "High efficiency pictures"

This eliminates compatibility issues but doubles storage consumption. For most users, keeping efficient formats while installing codec extensions offers the better trade-off.

For command-line workflows, libheif provides encoding and decoding for HEIF and AVIF with FFmpeg integration.