You copy photos from an iPhone to a Windows laptop and end up with a folder of .heic files that nothing seems to open. Or you try to upload an iPhone photo to a form and get an error saying the file type is not supported. This is one of the most common compatibility headaches with modern iPhones, and it has a simple explanation.
What HEIC actually is
HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It is Apple's implementation of the HEIF format (High Efficiency Image File Format), which was standardised by the Moving Picture Experts Group - the same organisation behind MP4 and AAC audio.
The compression algorithm inside a HEIC file (HEVC / H.265) is significantly more efficient than the one inside a JPG (JPEG / DCT). A HEIC photo at the same perceived visual quality typically takes up about half the storage space of an equivalent JPG. For a phone that shoots 50-megapixel images, that saving matters.
Why Apple switched to HEIC in 2017
Starting with iOS 11 and iPhone 7, Apple changed the default camera format from JPG to HEIC. The reason was storage: as camera resolutions grew, HEIC photos took up half the space of JPGs for the same quality. Given that many iPhones at the time had only 32 or 64 GB of storage, the savings were meaningful for users.
Within Apple's ecosystem - iPhone, iPad, Mac - the format is transparent. Everything opens it natively. The problem only surfaces when photos leave the ecosystem.
Why HEIC files do not open on other devices
HEIC uses a newer codec (HEVC) that is not universally supported outside Apple's platforms. Windows added partial support in Windows 10 through a paid codec extension in the Microsoft Store, and later baked it into newer Windows 11 builds - but support is still inconsistent depending on the app and Windows version. Most Android phones, Linux systems, and older Windows installs cannot open HEIC files without additional software. Many web upload forms also reject HEIC because the format is not part of the original web image standard.
The simplest fix: change your iPhone's camera format
If compatibility matters more to you than storage savings, you can switch your iPhone to shoot in JPG directly:
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap Camera.
- Tap Formats.
- Select Most Compatible.
From that point, new photos will be saved as JPG. This does not change existing HEIC photos already on the device.
Alternatively, if you want to keep HEIC on the phone but always transfer as JPG, go to Settings -> Photos and under Transfer to Mac or PC choose Automatic. This converts photos to JPG automatically when you cable-transfer them to a computer (though not when you copy via an SD card reader).
How to convert existing HEIC files to JPG
For photos already saved as HEIC, you need to convert them. Several options:
- Mac Preview - open the HEIC file in Preview, then File -> Export and choose JPG. You can batch export multiple files by selecting them all in Finder and opening with Preview.
- iPhone/iPad - email or AirDrop the photo to yourself; iOS will often convert to JPG when sharing to non-Apple destinations. Alternatively, use the Share menu and send to Files as a copy, then share from there.
- Windows Photos app - if your Windows install has the HEIC codec, open the file in Photos and use Save As to export as JPG.
- Online conversion - Pagivo is building a dedicated HEIC to JPG converter that will run server-side with no software to install. Use it when the tool launches, or in the meantime use the Mac or iPhone methods above.
Does converting to JPG reduce quality?
A small amount. JPG is a lossy format and HEIC is also lossy, but with better compression. Converting HEIC to JPG at a high quality setting (90%+) produces a result that is visually indistinguishable for most uses. The resulting JPG will be larger than the HEIC file - about 1.5-2x larger at equivalent quality - because JPG is less efficient. That is the trade-off: maximum compatibility at the cost of more storage.