Can't Open HEIC Files on Windows? Why It Happens, and 4 Ways to Fix It

Updated: August 22, 2026

Windows can't open HEIC photos out of the box because decoding them requires the HEVC codec, which Microsoft doesn't include for licensing reasons. The fastest fix is to convert your HEIC photos to JPG in your browser — free, no install, and the files never leave your computer. The alternative is buying Microsoft's $0.99 codec, which doesn't work in every case.

What is a HEIC file, and why does your iPhone make them?

HEIC is the photo format iPhones have used by default since iOS 11 in 2017: a HEIF image container compressed with the HEVC codec, storing the same picture in roughly half the file size of a JPEG (Apple, 2017). That efficiency is great for your phone's storage — and the reason the format exists — but HEVC is protected by patents from several patent pools, and any software that decodes it owes royalties. Full breakdown of the format: what is a HEIC file.

Apple pays those licenses, so iPhones and Macs open HEIC natively. Microsoft passes the cost on to you instead — which is where the trouble starts.

Why Windows shows the error

Windows needs two separate add-ons to display a HEIC photo, and only one of them is free. The free "HEIF Image Extensions" package teaches Windows to recognize the file type; the part that actually decodes the image — "HEVC Video Extensions" — costs $0.99 in the Microsoft Store. Without it, Photos shows an error or a blank thumbnail, and Firefox and Chrome don't decode HEIC at all.

Even after paying, some users still report photos that won't open, because the installed extension version has to match what the file needs. And as of 2026, Windows still has no built-in way to convert a folder of HEIC photos at once — the request for that feature sits open and unassigned in Microsoft's own PowerToys project.

The 4 ways to fix it, fastest first

1. Convert the photos to JPG in your browser (free)

The one-time fix that works on any Windows PC: turn the HEIC files into ordinary JPGs. PhotoAnvil's HEIC to JPG converter runs entirely in your browser — your photos are never uploaded to a server — and handles one photo or hundreds at once, with a single .zip download for batches. After converting, every program on your PC can open them.

2. Buy Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions ($0.99)

Open the Microsoft Store, search for "HEVC Video Extensions", pay $0.99 and install. Windows Photos can then display most HEIC files. Caveats: it fixes viewing on that one PC only, some photos still fail depending on extension versions, and there's still no batch conversion — Photos can only "Save as" JPG one file at a time.

3. Stop the problem at the source: change your iPhone's camera format

On the iPhone: Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPEG from then on. This doesn't convert the photos you already have — those still need fix 1 or 2.

4. Use a Mac, if there's one nearby

macOS opens HEIC natively and can batch-convert via Finder's Quick Actions. Useful if you have one; not a real fix for a Windows household.