Since Apple has shifted to the new HEIC format for photos on iPhone and iPad, accessing them on Windows machines is a task. You aren’t alone if your Windows PC/laptop has failed to open photos clicked on your iPhone and giving you an error like.
The HEVC Video Extension is required to display this file.
It’s because Windows doesn’t support the HEIC files extension by default. But don’t worry; you cannot only open HEIC files on Windows but also convert them to a more friendly JPEG format while transferring them from your iPhone to your Windows PC or laptop.
And if you are wondering how? This guide will explain how you can open HEIC files inside Windows Photos app in a few simple steps.
How to open HEIC files on Windows 10 or 11?
To open HEIC files on your Windows computer, you’ll have to install two extensions from the Microsoft Store. After that, your Windows PC/laptop can normally open and view HEIC files inside the Photos app.
Here is how to do it;
Install HEIF Image Extensions (Free) & HEVC Video Extensions ($ 0.99) from the Microsoft Store on your computer. Both the extension are available officially from Microsoft.
While “HEIF Image Extensions” is free, “HEVC Video Extensions” will cost you $ 0.99. Alternatively, you can try installing “HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer,” which is free and does the same.
After installing both extensions, try opening a HEIC image by double-clicking on it inside the Photos app. You can open and view it like you would open any other image/photo on your Windows PC/Laptop.
Also, Windows File Explorer will automatically generate thumbnail previews for the HEIC photo. This will allow you to see the photo content on thumbnails and the preview pane of Windows File Explorer without opening it.
How to open HEIC files on Windows 8, 7, or older?
Older versions of Windows neither have a Photos app nor supports Microsoft Store, so you’ll have to rely on a third-party HEIC photo viewer to open HEIC files on older Windows 8, 7, and XP.
We recommend CopyTrans HEIC for Windows to open HEIC files on Windows 7 and older. It’s free for personal use HEIC viewer and converter that allows you to view (and even convert) HEIC files on a Windows machine.
Download and Install CopyTrans HEIC for Windows on your Windows computer from here, and you are good to go.
Installing CopyTrans HEIC for Windows will make your PC capable of viewing HEIC files. You can also convert your HEIC files to JPEG with a single click.
Also read: How to connect AirPods to Windows PC?
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows PC?
Converting HEIC files to JPEG sometimes becomes necessary since many programs & applications don’t support HEIC format. Here are some of the ways using which you can easily convert HEIC to JPEG on Windows;
Convert HEIC to JPG while transferring from iPhone to PC
It seems Apple knows the struggles and shortcomings of the new HEIC file format. Hence they added an option in the iOS that automatically converts your HEIC/HEVC to JPG/H.264 when you transfer them to your Windows PC.
Here is how to convert HEIC files to JPG on iPhone/iPad while transferring them to a Windows computer;
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Tap on “Photos” and look for “TRANSFER TO MAC OR PC” at the bottom.
- Select “Automatic” from the options.
After this, every time you transfer photos from your iPhone or iPad to your Windows computer, they will convert to JPEG format automatically without any 3rd party software. Using this option, you can turn your HEIC to JPG while transferring from iPhone.
Convert HEIC to JPG on PC using the Windows Photos app
The above method will only work when you transfer photos from your iPhone to your PC. What if you receive an image in HEIC format from someone and want to convert it to JPEG?
In that case, the quickest way to convert HEIC to JPG is by using the Photos app.
Note that you’ll need to have both extensions installed on your PC. Otherwise, you will not be able to open the HEIC image inside the Photos app.
Open the HEIC file in the Photos app on your PC, then right-click on it and select the “Save as” option.
A window will open; from the “Save as type:” list, select JPEG/JPG and then hit “Save” to save that HEIC image in JPEG/JPG format. You can find your JPEG/JPG image in the same folder as the HEIC image.
Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows PC using a third-party app
One major downside of using the Windows Photos app to convert HEIC to JPEG is that you can only convert one picture at a time. If you want to convert multiple files, you’ll need to use a third-party HEIC converter app like CopyTrans HEIC to Windows.
With CopyTrans HEIC to Windows, you can convert up to 100 pictures simultaneously.
Select all the HEIC photos, right-click on them and select “Convert to JPEG with CopyTrans” to them convert to JPEG.
Unless you want to convert more than 100 photos at a time, CopyTrans HEIC to Windows is a handy app that you can use to view and convert HEIC files to JPEG on your Windows computer.
Wrapping up: How to open and convert HEIC to JPG on Windows PC?
Needing to install separate extensions to open HEIC files is unnecessary. Windows should support opening HEIC pictures by default. But until Microsoft changes that, you can follow this guide to open and convert HEIC files on Windows PC or Laptop.
