How to Open HEIC Files on Any Device
You copied photos from an iPhone and now they end in .heic and will not open, upload or attach. Here is how to open HEIC files on each system, and when it is easier to convert them to JPG.
Open the tool: HEIC to JPG Converter
Windows 10 and 11
The Photos app can show HEIC only with two add-ons from the Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions, which is free, and HEVC Video Extensions, which costs a small fee. Some computers have them preinstalled by the manufacturer.
Even with the add-ons, many programs and websites still cannot use HEIC. If you need to send, upload or edit the photos, converting them to JPG in the browser is usually faster than installing anything.
Mac, iPhone and iPad
Apple devices open HEIC natively. To convert on a Mac, open the photo in Preview, choose File, then Export, and select JPEG. On an iPhone, sharing a photo to many apps or emailing it automatically sends a JPG copy.
Android
Android 9 and newer can show HEIC in most gallery apps, depending on the phone. Apps and websites that accept uploads often still require JPG, so a conversion is still useful.
In the browser
Safari on recent Apple devices displays HEIC. Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not. A converter that runs in the browser, like the one on this page, decodes the photo on your own device and gives you a JPG without uploading it.
Avoid HEIC in the future
On an iPhone, open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible to take JPG photos. Or keep HEIC to save space and set Settings, then Photos, Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic, so photos copied with a cable arrive as JPG.