Modern iOS devices save images in the HEIC/HEIF format. This article explains how to open these image files in Windows. The instructions work for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. MacOS opens such files without any extra tweaking.

What to Know

  • In Windows 10, find the file and double-click on it to open it in a preview window like any other image file.
  • If you have Windows 7 or 8, you need a third-party tool like CopyTrans HEIC. Download and install it, then double-click the file to open it.

How to Open a HEIC File in Windows 10

Assuming your PC is up to date, you don’t actually have to do much to open a HEIC file. Here’s what’s involved.

  • Find the file on your PC.
  • Double-click the file.
  • Through this method, it’s not possible to see a preview of the image like with some other files.
  • It should now open in a Photo Preview window just like any other image file.
  • File won’t open? Download the HEIF Image Extensions add-on from the Microsoft Store.

How to Open a HEIC File in Windows 7 and 8

Opening a HEIC/HEIF file is a little trickier on Windows 7 and 8 since there’s no direct support for the file extension. The best solution is to download a tool called CopyTrans HEIC for Windows. It’s a plugin that opens HEIC files just as easily as any other files, with no further interaction required once you’ve installed the tool.

Find the file on your PC.

Double-click the file.

Through this method, it’s not possible to see a preview of the image like with some other files.

It should now open in a Photo Preview window just like any other image file.

File won’t open? Download the HEIF Image Extensions add-on from the Microsoft Store.

If you send image files from your iOS device, such as through email or Dropbox, your iOS device should automatically convert the file to JPG, meaning you don’t have to worry about HEIC/HEIF compatibility issues. 

What Are HEIC Files Anyway?

The HEIC format was adopted by Apple in 2017 as a replacement for the JPEG format. More efficient in terms of size and quality, the HEIC file extension is also known as a HEIF file. It’s been used in the past for Apple’s iPhone Portrait Mode, enabling much higher quality images than a regular JPEG, among other advantages.

You can also use CopyTrans HEIC for Windows on a Windows 10 PC. It shows thumbnail previews of your images and offers easy conversion tools too.

Visit https://www.copytrans.net/copytransheic.

Select Download, then install the software.

Double-click a HEIC file to open it. 

  • How do I view HEIC files in Windows 11?
  • Locate the HEIC file in File Explorer and double-click to open it (choose Photos as the app to open it with if prompted). Or, right-click the HEIC file and select Open With > Photos.
  • How do I convert HEIC to JPG in Windows?
  • Open the HEIC file in the Windows Photo app, then select Edit & Create > Edit > Save a copy. Choose a location to save the file to—Windows should automatically save it as a JPG or JPEG.

Locate the HEIC file in File Explorer and double-click to open it (choose Photos as the app to open it with if prompted). Or, right-click the HEIC file and select Open With > Photos.

Open the HEIC file in the Windows Photo app, then select Edit & Create > Edit > Save a copy. Choose a location to save the file to—Windows should automatically save it as a JPG or JPEG.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day