How to Open HEIC Files in Windows 11

To view HEIC files on Windows 11, open them in Microsoft Photos and install Microsoft’s HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions if they are missing. Try opening a photo first, because your PC may already have the required components. If you prefer another application, XnView MP can open HEIC files directly and save JPEG or PNG copies.

Open your HEIC photo in Microsoft Photos

Find the HEIC file in File Explorer, right-click it, and select Open with > Photos. If the image opens, you can continue using Photos without installing additional components.

If Photos cannot display the file, check for the missing Microsoft extensions. HEIC decoding requires HEVC support as well as the HEIF extension, even though the HEVC product has “Video” in its name. Installing only HEIF Image Extensions may leave the image unreadable.

Open the official HEIF Image Extensions product page and install the extension if it is absent. Then open the official HEVC Video Extensions product page and check whether it is already installed or owned before purchasing it. Availability and licensing depend on your PC, account, and region, so a purchase is not necessary on every computer.

Close Photos after installing the missing components, then reopen the HEIC file through Open with > Photos. If it still will not open, try XnView MP or work through the Photos fixes below.

Use XnView MP to view or convert HEIC files

XnView MP provides built-in HEIC decoding without requiring Microsoft’s Store codec purchase. Get the Windows installer or portable package from the official XnView MP download page, then install it or unpack the portable ZIP. Drag your HEIC file into the application, or select File > Open and choose the image.

To create a compatible copy, select File > Save as and choose JPEG or PNG. Open the saved copy in Windows and retain the HEIC original if you need its original-format content. For multi-image HEIC files, XnView MP exposes the primary still image, so this route does not show every component.

You can use XnView MP while you resolve a Photos or Microsoft codec problem. If you need Live Photo motion rather than a still image, choose a viewer that supports the matching motion file.

Make your preferred HEIC viewer the default

Once a viewer successfully opens the image, make it the app Windows uses for HEIC files.

Open Settings > Apps > Default apps and search for .heic. Select the file association and choose your viewer, then repeat for .heif if needed. Changing the default assigns an application, but that application still needs working HEIC support.

To browse a collection in Photos, open the application and select Gallery in the folders tab. Select Add folder, choose the folder containing your HEIC files, then select an image to view it. Adding a folder does not replace the codec requirements.

View iCloud photos or download JPEG copies

For photos already stored in iCloud Photos, visit iCloud.com/photos in your Windows browser and sign in with the Apple Account containing the library. Open the photo there to view it without downloading the HEIC original. Your account must permit iCloud web access for this route to work.

To get JPEG copies, select the photos you want, holding Ctrl while selecting multiple items. Apple permits up to 1,000 items in one selection. Select More > More Download Options > Most Compatible, then select Download and open the resulting JPEG files on your PC.

If your downloaded file is still HEIC, request the copy again using Most Compatible. Downloading an original preserves the need for a compatible local viewer.

Show HEIC previews in File Explorer

Press Windows + E and open the folder containing your photos. Select an HEIC file and press Alt + P to show the preview pane. Press Ctrl + Shift + 2 to switch to Large icons for browsing thumbnails.

If Explorer displays only file icons, open its folder options and select View. Uncheck Always show icons, never thumbnails, apply the change, and use an icon view large enough to show thumbnails. These controls display available previews but do not install an HEIC decoder.

Explorer previews depend on compatible decoder and preview-handler support, the HEIC variant, and whether a cloud file has been downloaded. Opening an image in a viewer does not guarantee that Explorer can preview it. If thumbnails remain unavailable, open the photo directly in your compatible viewer.

Fix HEIC files that still will not open

Start by closing Photos and updating the viewing components. Open Microsoft Store and check for app updates, then reopen Photos after updating. Microsoft’s instructions name this control differently across Store layouts, so look for Get updates or Check for updates. For a previously acquired component that is missing, sign in with the purchasing account, locate it in Library, and select Install.

Next, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and find Microsoft Photos or the malfunctioning extension. Open its More menu, select Advanced options, and select Repair when available. If repair fails, select Reset, which can remove the application’s settings and stored app data. Available controls differ by package.

If the application is blocked from accessing your Pictures library, open Settings > Privacy & security > Pictures. Enable the applicable library-access controls and the viewer’s permission when listed, then reopen the application. This fixes access restrictions but does not add HEIC decoding support.

If you use Windows 11 N, check for missing media components as well. Press Windows + R, enter the following command, and press Enter.

ms-settings:optionalfeatures

Select View features beside Add an optional feature, then check Media Feature Pack. Select Next, then Add, and restart Windows after installation. Install any still-missing HEIF and HEVC extensions before trying Photos again.

Get compatible photos from your iPhone

To request compatible-format copies during USB import, open Settings > Apps > Photos on your iPhone. Scroll down to the transfer options and make sure Keep Originals is not selected, then reconnect the phone and import your photos into Windows. Earlier iOS versions place Photos directly in Settings.

Apple says compatible-format conversion may occur during USB import, so this setting does not guarantee that every imported file becomes a JPEG. If the imported file remains HEIC, open it in Photos with the required extensions or convert it with XnView MP.

To capture future iPhone photos as JPEG, open Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. This changes subsequent camera photos without converting your existing library. Special capture modes can have their own format requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can OneDrive display HEIC photos without Windows codecs?

Yes, you can view them through OneDrive in your browser. Sign in to OneDrive on the web, upload the HEIC photo if necessary, and open it. Downloading the original does not add HEIC support to your Windows applications.

Does OneDrive automatically turn iPhone HEIC uploads into JPEGs?

No, OneDrive for iOS uploads the original HEIF format. To get a JPEG, you need to convert the photo separately.

Can you convert HEIC files offline without uploading them?

Yes, iMazing says iMazing Converter processes your photos locally. Open the application, drag files or folders into its window, and choose JPEG or PNG and your output settings. Select Convert, choose the destination folder, and open the converted files in Windows.

Will opening an HEIC file also play its Live Photo motion?

You need a viewer that supports Live Photo playback and the matching motion file. CopyTrans Viewer supports transferred Live Photos when you retain the matching MOV file with the photo. Hover over the opened photo in that viewer to play the motion.

Can you stop a Samsung Galaxy phone from creating HEIF photos?

On the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra, open Camera > Settings > Advanced picture options and turn off High efficiency pictures. This affects future photos without converting existing images. Samsung documents this path for those models; your menus may differ on another Galaxy phone.