You copied photos from an iPhone to your PC and Windows shows blank icons or says it can’t open the file. That’s because the photos are in HEIC format, and Windows needs extra codecs to read it. You have two options: install the codecs, or convert the photos to JPG.

Option 1: Convert HEIC to JPG (works on every PC)

If you just need the photos to open everywhere, or you want to send them to someone else, converting is simplest:

  1. Open the HEIC to JPG converter in Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
  2. Drag your HEIC files from File Explorer onto the page. You can drop a whole selection at once.
  3. Click Download all (ZIP), or download the photos one by one.

The conversion runs on your PC, so even large batches finish quickly, and your photos aren’t uploaded anywhere.

Option 2: Install the HEIC codecs

To view HEIC photos directly in the Windows Photos app, you need two extensions from the Microsoft Store:

  1. HEIF Image Extensions, which is free. It handles the HEIF container.
  2. HEVC Video Extensions, which decodes the actual image data. Microsoft sells it for a small fee. Some PCs come with a free version called “HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer”.

After installing both, restart the Photos app. Your HEIC files should now show thumbnails in File Explorer and open in Photos.

Still not working?

  • Make sure both extensions are installed. HEIF alone is not enough.
  • Update Windows and the Photos app from the Microsoft Store.
  • Some older programs (for example older versions of Office or Photoshop) still can’t read HEIC even with the codecs. Convert to JPG for those.

Stop getting HEIC files on your PC

On your iPhone, open Settings → Photos and set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic. Photos you import with a cable will then arrive as JPG.

Codecs or conversion?

Install the codecs if you regularly browse HEIC photos on your own PC. Convert to JPG if you need to upload, email, print or edit the photos, or share them with people who don’t have the codecs. JPG works everywhere.