How to View HEIC Files on Windows 10 and 11

You’ve moved some iPhone photos to your Windows 10 or 11 PC, and they won’t open — just broken thumbnails or error messages. They’re HEIC files, and Windows doesn’t read them out of the box. The fix is straightforward, and you’ve got a few options depending on whether you want to install something or just see the photo right now. Here’s every way to view HEIC on Windows.

Why Windows can’t open HEIC by default

HEIC files use HEVC (H.265) compression, and Windows ships without the codec needed to decode it — largely because HEVC carries patent licensing fees that Microsoft chose not to bundle into every copy of Windows. The result is that the Photos app and File Explorer can’t read .heic files until you add the missing piece. The photo isn’t broken; Windows just lacks the key. We explain this fully in why Windows can’t open HEIC files.

Option 1: Install the Microsoft Store extensions

This makes the built-in Photos app open HEIC directly:

1. Open the Microsoft Store.
2. Search for HEIF Image Extensions and install it (it’s free).
3. For full support, you may also need the HEVC Video Extensions, which is usually a small paid download (often around $0.99).

Once installed, double-clicking a .heic file should open it in the Photos app, and File Explorer should show proper thumbnails. The downsides: it’s a couple of steps, the paid extension catches people off guard, and on some hardware it can still be unreliable.

Option 2: Use a third-party image viewer

Several free image viewers support HEIC natively without the Store extensions. Apps in this category can open HEIC out of the box and often handle many other formats too. This is a good route if you regularly work with HEIC and want a dedicated viewer — just download from a reputable source.

Option 3: Convert to JPG (fastest, no install)

If you just need to see or use the photo right now — not set up codecs — convert it to a format Windows already understands.

Our HEIC to JPG converter runs in your browser. Drop the file in, it converts on your PC (nothing is uploaded), and you get a standard JPG that opens in any Windows app — Photos, Paint, Office, browsers, everything. No Store account, no paid extension. For a full walkthrough, see how to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows.

If you need a pixel-perfect copy for editing, convert to PNG instead with the HEIC to PNG converter.

Which option is right for you?

• You’ll deal with HEIC often and want them to “just open”: Install the Store extensions or a third-party viewer so the Photos app handles them natively.
• You just need to view or use a file now: Convert to JPG in your browser — no install, free, instant.
• The photos are sensitive: Use a client-side converter so the files never leave your PC, rather than uploading them anywhere.

Many people use a mix: extensions for casual viewing, and conversion when they need to share the photo with someone else anyway.

A note on receiving HEIC in the future

If iPhone-using friends or family regularly send you HEIC files, you can save yourself the hassle by asking them to switch their camera to JPG — Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible. We cover it in how to turn off HEIC on iPhone. After that, their photos arrive as JPGs that Windows opens with no setup at all.

The bottom line

To view HEIC files on Windows 10 or 11, you can install Microsoft’s Store extensions, use a third-party viewer, or — fastest of all — use our HEIC to JPG converter to convert in your browser with no install and no upload. The extensions are best if you handle HEIC constantly; conversion is best when you just need to see or share a photo right now. Either way, the file is fine — Windows simply needs help reading it.