Since the release of iOS 11 in 2017, all iPhones and iPads have saved photos in the HEIC standard by default.
Switching from JPG may seem strange, but it has significant advantages. File sizes are typically much smaller without sacrificing quality, while multiple photos (from a burst sequence of something similar) can be stored in a single file.
Android stuck with JPG, but you can save in HEIC if you prefer. If you’re looking for ways to free up storage space, this is worth considering.
The Photos app on Windows 11 is compatible with HEIC (and HEIF) files, but it’s not always so easy on Windows 10. Although technically supported, you may need to follow a few steps before opening them or save them. Here’s everything you need to know.
How to Open HEIC Files in Windows 10
All versions of Windows since October 2018 are able to open HEIC files. If you’re still using an older version, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and install a newer version. It doesn’t have to be Windows 11, although you are prompted to install it.
Next, you need to install the Support Utility, available on the Microsoft Store as HEIF Image Extensions. It should be free, but it might already be installed on your device.
Now click the following link to get HEVC Video Extensions. It’ll cost you £0.79 / US$0.99, but it’s necessary with HEIF support – unfortunately Microsoft doesn’t specify this in the list of HEIF extensions.
Learn more about opening H.265 videos in our separate guide on installing HEVC codecs on Windows.
For both tools, click the “Get” button and wait for the software to be installed.
Now you should find that double-clicking on a .heic file will open it in the default Windows 10 Photos app. If not, you should see a window similar to the one below where you can click on the Photos app and check the box marked: Always use this app to open .HEIC files.
How to convert HEIC to JPG
If you have the HEIF and HEVC extensions mentioned above installed, you will find that when you open a HEIC file, it will behave much like a JPG file. You can edit it normally using the tools available in the Photos app, but you’ll also notice that even if you don’t make any changes after clicking the “Edit and Create” button in the top right, there’s a blue ‘Save a Copy’ button at the bottom that lets you re-save the photo in your preferred format, including JPG.
This method is fine if you want to convert an occasional photo, but there are much easier ways to batch convert many photos to JPG.
There are many free apps, including
If you want more control, like JPG compression level, file renaming, and more, HEIC to JPG – HEIC Image Converter is a great free option.
Below is iMazing Converter, a small app that lets you drag and drop files and choose to convert them to JPG or PNG, along with the output folder.
Apple users can easily convert HEIC file to JPEG on Mac.
How to Make Your iPhone Transfer Photos in JPG Format Instead of HEIC
If you don’t want to convert files in Windows, there are different ways to share those photos so they are automatically converted to JPG. To share photos, open the Photos app, tap Select at the top, choose the ones you want, then tap the share icon (bottom left) and choose an app or method to share them.
You can email them or upload them to a cloud storage service. It’s a bad idea to share via WhatsApp or other social media, as photos are invariably low quality.
When you choose to share via Mail, you have to choose the size – always go for the original (maximum) file size if you want to keep the best quality.
And if you choose a cloud provider such as Google Drive, you should see that the files will be saved with a .jpeg extension.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
How to Stop Your iPhone from Saving Photos in HEIC
Open the Settings app and scroll down until you see Camera. Tap it, then tap Formats (which is right at the top).
You will see this screen, and you need to change it from High Efficiency to Most Compatible:
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
It’s a similar story for videos, with H.265 files requiring a codec to open in some apps. Learn more in our guide on installing HEVC codecs on Windows.
What is a HEIC file?
If you copy photos from a recent iPhone or iPad to a PC or laptop, you may see many strange HEIC files:
The format was developed by MPEG – not Apple – so it’s not Apple trying to do its own proprietary thing. In fact, HEIC is slowly usurping the established (but old and flawed) JPG format.
Images with a .heic are compressed using HEVC, which is the High Efficiency Video Codec. These images are then stored in a HEIF file, which stands for High Efficiency File Format.
There are many advantages to using HEIF files, although it is a bit confusing that the file is called HEIC rather than HEIF.
Here’s why HEIC files are great:
- About half the size of JPG for the same quality
- Can store multiple photos in a single file (great for live and burst photos)
- Supports transparency like GIF files
- Can store image edits, such as cropping and rotating so you can undo them
- 16-bit color support compared to JPG’s 8-bit
You might also be interested in our guides to taking great photos underwater or at Christmas with an iPhone.
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