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You transferred photos from your iPhone to your Windows PC and now you are staring at a folder full of files Windows refuses to open. The extension says .heic and nothing works.
This happens to millions of people every week. Here is why, and how to fix it in minutes.
Since 2017, iPhones have saved photos in HEIC format by default. HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPGs at the same quality, which is great for your phone storage. The problem is Windows.
Windows does not include HEIC support out of the box because the format uses patented codecs that Microsoft would have to pay licensing fees to bundle. The result is a blank icon, an error message, or a prompt to visit the Microsoft Store every time you try to open one of your own photos.
Windows 11 handles it slightly better than Windows 10 in some cases, but neither version supports HEIC natively. You always need to do something extra.
JPG is the safest and most compatible format for converted HEIC files. It works everywhere: every app, every platform, every device. The quality difference between a HEIC original and a converted JPG is minimal and rarely visible.
The fastest way to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows is directly in your browser. MintyCrop supports HEIC files natively. Open your HEIC photos in the tool, crop and adjust if needed, and export as JPG. Everything runs in your browser and your files never leave your device. No software to install, no Microsoft Store, no account required.
Go to mintycrop.com, drag in your HEIC files, and export as JPG.
If you need to convert a large folder without editing, CopyTrans HEIC is a free Windows tool that adds a right-click option in File Explorer. Select your files, right-click, and choose Convert to JPEG. It handles up to 100 images at a time and preserves metadata including the date taken and location.
PNG is the better choice when you need lossless quality or when your image contains text, graphics, or hard edges. PNG files are larger than JPG but preserve every pixel exactly. Use it for screenshots, product images, or anything where precision matters more than file size.
MintyCrop lets you export HEIC files directly to PNG in the same workflow. Open your HEIC file, make any crop adjustments, and select PNG as the export format. Done in the browser, nothing uploaded.
WebP is the modern format for web use. It produces smaller files than JPG at comparable or better quality, and every major browser supports it fully. If you are preparing iPhone photos for a website or web app, converting HEIC to WebP gives you the best balance of quality and file size.
MintyCrop supports WebP export alongside JPG and PNG. The workflow is the same: open your HEIC files, crop if needed, select WebP as the output format, and export. No plugins, no desktop software.
The official Microsoft solution is to install HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store. It is free and sometimes works. But user reviews are full of complaints about it failing after Windows updates, working only in the Photos app but nowhere else, or not installing at all on corporate and school PCs where the Store is blocked.
If you want to try it: open the Microsoft Store, search for HEIF Image Extensions, install it, restart your PC, and try again. You may also need HEVC Video Extensions installed separately.
If it works, great. If not, the browser-based approach above is more reliable.
If you regularly transfer photos from iPhone to Windows, the cleanest long-term fix is to change one setting on your phone.
Go to Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and select Most Compatible. Your iPhone will now save new photos as JPG instead of HEIC. You use slightly more storage on the phone but every photo opens on Windows without conversion.
There is also a middle option. Go to Settings, then Photos, then Transfer to Mac or PC, and select Automatic. iOS will convert HEIC to JPG during USB transfers while keeping HEIC on the phone to save space.
Neither setting converts HEIC files you have already moved to your PC. For those, use MintyCrop as described above.
Why can't Windows open HEIC files?
Windows does not include HEIC support by default because the format relies on patented compression technology. Microsoft would need to pay licensing fees to bundle it with Windows, which it has chosen not to do. Support can be added through the Microsoft Store, but it is inconsistent.
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
Almost. HEIF is the container format standard and HEIC is Apple's implementation of it. When your iPhone saves a photo as .heic, it is using the HEIF format with Apple's specific encoding. The terms are often used interchangeably.
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
The difference is minimal for most photos. HEIC uses more efficient compression than JPG, so a converted JPG file will be slightly larger for the same visual quality. In practice the difference is not visible to the eye. If you need truly lossless conversion, export to PNG instead.
Can I convert HEIC files without uploading them to a server?
Yes. MintyCrop converts HEIC files entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to any server. This makes it safe for personal photos, client work, or any situation where you do not want your images leaving your device.
What is the best format to convert HEIC to?
It depends on the use case. JPG is best for general sharing and compatibility. PNG is best for lossless quality and images with text or graphics. WebP is best for web use where file size matters. MintyCrop supports all three.
Try it free at mintycrop.com
