What is a HEIC file and how to open it — guide for iPhone photos.
An iPhone photo in HEIC format does not open on Windows or in Word. Here is why Apple uses HEIC, what it means for you, and how to fix it in 30 seconds.
You sent someone photos from your iPhone. They arrived as HEIC, the person cannot open them, asks you to send "normal images". This happens millions of times a day around the world. Here is why, and how to fix it fast.
What is HEIC
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's image format that replaced the old JPG starting with iOS 11. Technically it is excellent: images are 2x smaller than JPG at the same quality. Your phone uses half the storage, iCloud sync is twice as fast.
The problem: HEIC is a standard Apple pushes almost alone. Microsoft Windows did not support HEIC until 2018, and even today you need a special "HEIF Image Extensions" plug-in. Older programmes (Word 2016, image viewers from 2015...) cannot open them at all.
How to avoid HEIC preventively
You can tell your iPhone to use JPG instead of HEIC for new photos:
- Open Settings → Camera → Formats.
- Change from "High Efficiency" to "Most Compatible".
- New photos you take from now on will be JPG.
Downside: photos will take twice the storage. Only worth it if you frequently send photos to people outside the Apple ecosystem.
How to convert existing HEIC photos to JPG
Fastest way: use our HEIC to JPG tool. Everything happens in your browser — images do not go anywhere, files are processed locally.
Three things people often do not know about HEIC
- When you send a HEIC photo via WhatsApp, WhatsApp automatically converts it to JPG before sending — the recipient gets JPG. But via email / AirDrop, HEIC stays HEIC.
- Apple Mail App automatically asks "Send as JPG?" when you attach HEIC. Say "Yes" and you have no issues.
- HEIC supports transparency, multi-image (animations), Live Photo metadata. When converted to JPG, all of this is lost.