How to Open HEIC Files on Windows 11 for Free

To open a HEIC photo on Windows 11 for free, add Microsoft’s free HEIF Image Extension from the Microsoft Store and open the photo in Photos. Photos also needs HEVC support, which many PCs already have from the PC maker. If yours doesn’t, Microsoft’s HEVC Video Extensions is a paid add-on ($0.99 in the US Microsoft Store), so the free GIMP or XnView MP apps are the no-cost alternative.

These steps cover current Windows 11 releases and also work on Windows 10, which reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Opening a HEIC photo doesn’t convert it to JPG or change the original file.

What Is a HEIC File?

HEIC is the photo format iPhones and iPads use by default. It’s a type of HEIF (High Efficiency Image File) that compresses pictures with HEVC, the same technology used for high-efficiency video. That’s why Windows needs a video codec to show a still photo: the image data inside a HEIC file is HEVC-compressed. Photos end in .heic, and some cameras save .heif or .hif files that work the same way.

Choose a Method

Method	Cost	Works offline	Best for
Windows Photos with extensions	Free, or $0.99 if your PC lacks HEVC support	Yes	Double-clicking HEIC files like any other photo
GIMP	Free	Yes	Viewing and editing on your PC with no Store add-ons
XnView MP	Free for personal use	Yes	A lighter photo viewer that browses whole folders
OneDrive or iCloud.com in a browser	Free	No	Photos already in your cloud account
Change the iPhone’s format	Free	Yes	Getting JPEG files from now on

Open HEIC Pictures in Windows Photos

Start by checking whether your PC already opens HEIC files. Right-click the photo in File Explorer and choose Open with > Photos. If the picture appears, you’re done. If Photos shows a message that you need an extension, or the picture won’t display, add the missing pieces below.

Check which extensions you already have

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Type HEIF in the search box. Look for HEIF Image Extension.
3. Clear the box and type HEVC. Look for HEVC Video Extensions or HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer.

The Device Manufacturer version is free, but it’s meant to be preinstalled by the company that made your PC. Don’t download copies of it from other websites.

Install the missing extensions

1. Open Microsoft’s HEIF Image Extension listing and click the button to get it in the Microsoft Store app. Click Get or Install. It’s free.
2. If the HEVC check above found nothing, open Microsoft’s HEVC Video Extensions listing. This one is paid. The Store shows the price before you buy, and you need a Microsoft account with a payment method.
3. Close Photos completely if it was open, then reopen it.
4. Right-click the HEIC photo again and choose Open with > Photos. The picture should open.

Microsoft’s HEIF listing states that the HEVC Video Extensions must be installed to view images stored in .heic, .hif, and .heif files, so installing HEIF alone can leave you with the same error. If you’d rather not pay, use GIMP or XnView MP below. They read HEIC without either Store extension.

Once both extensions are installed, File Explorer also shows thumbnail previews for HEIC files instead of a generic icon.

Make Photos the default for HEIC files

To have HEIC photos open with a double-click, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps, type .heic in the Set a default for a file type or link type box, click the current app below it, choose Photos, and click Set default. For more detail on this screen, read how to change default apps in Windows 11, and you can also change the file association in Windows 11 from File Explorer’s Open with menu.

Open a HEIC File for Free With GIMP

GIMP is a free image editor. Download its stable Windows version from the official GIMP website and follow the installer prompts. The direct Windows installer supports Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 1903 or newer, and GIMP also offers a Microsoft Store version for Windows 11. GIMP’s image format list includes HEIC import, but GIMP notes that HEIC support depends on how a build was packaged, because of patent issues with HEVC.

1. Launch GIMP from the Start menu.
2. Choose File > Open, or press Ctrl + O. A file picker opens.
3. Browse to the folder containing your .heic picture, select it, and click Open.
4. Wait for the photo to appear in the editing area. You can view it without exporting or saving anything.

You don’t need to change the default app for HEIC files or upload the photo to use this method. If you need a more widely accepted copy for an email attachment or upload form, you can convert HEIC to JPG on Windows.

Open a HEIC File for Free With XnView MP

XnView MP is a photo viewer that reads HEIC and HEIF files on Windows 10 and 11 without any Microsoft Store extension. It’s free for private and educational use. Businesses need a paid license.

1. Download the Windows installer from the XnView MP page and run it.
2. In File Explorer, right-click the HEIC photo and choose Open with. If XnView MP isn’t listed, click Choose another app and pick it.
3. The photo opens in XnView MP.

XnView MP’s browser view is handy when you have a whole folder of iPhone photos, because it shows thumbnails of every HEIC file at once.

View a Photo Already in OneDrive or iCloud

OneDrive

Open the OneDrive website in your browser, sign in to the account containing the picture, and select the HEIC file to preview it. Viewing HEIF and HEVC files in OneDrive through a browser works on Windows devices too.

This is a cloud preview, so you need an internet connection. It doesn’t mean the downloaded original will open in Photos without the codecs. The OneDrive app for iPhone uploads HEIF photos in their original format, so downloading the picture won’t turn it into a JPG.

iCloud.com

If your iPhone uses iCloud Photos, you can view the photo at icloud.com/photos and download a JPEG copy:

1. Go to icloud.com/photos and sign in with your Apple Account.
2. Select the photo or photos you want.
3. Click the More button, then click More Download Options.
4. Click Download next to Most Compatible. This saves photos as JPEG when possible.

Each option is listed in Apple’s iCloud.com photo download guide. Unmodified Originals keeps the HEIC format, so skip that one if you need a file Windows can open without help.

Get JPEG Photos From Your iPhone Instead

If you keep running into HEIC files, change how the iPhone saves or sends them. Apple covers these settings in Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices.

• Shoot JPEG from now on: On the iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos save as JPEG and videos as H.264. Photos you already took stay HEIC. Some newer iPhones no longer offer Most Compatible.
• Convert during a USB transfer: On the iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Photos and, under Transfer to Mac or PC, choose Automatic. The iPhone then converts photos to a compatible format when you import them with a cable. Keep Originals sends HEIC files. Transferring iPhone photos to a PC covers the import steps.
• Convert one photo on the iPhone: Export a JPEG copy on the iPhone and send that copy.

High Efficiency files are smaller than JPEGs at similar quality, so switching the camera format means the iPhone fills up faster.

A Warning About Online HEIC Converters

Many websites offer to open or convert HEIC files if you upload them. Uploading a photo sends a copy to that company’s servers, along with any location data and other details stored in the file. Use the local apps or your own OneDrive or iCloud account for private pictures such as family photos, IDs, or documents.

If the Picture Still Won’t Open

Photos says you need an extension after you installed one: Check Settings > Apps > Installed apps for both HEIF and HEVC. Most “still won’t open” cases come from a PC that has HEIF but no HEVC support. Close Photos fully and try again after installing.

The Microsoft Store won’t install the extension: On a work or school PC, the Store may be blocked by your organization. Ask IT, or use the OneDrive or iCloud.com methods in the meantime. On a Windows 11 N edition (sold in Europe without media features), install the Media Feature Pack first from Settings > Apps > Optional features > View features (see the Media Feature Pack list), then restart.

Only one app fails: Try the same original photo in GIMP or, if it’s already uploaded, in OneDrive’s browser preview. If it works there, the file is fine and the failing app lacks HEIC support.

GIMP can’t read it: Check that you installed the current official Windows build from gimp.org. If it still fails, try XnView MP, or export a JPEG copy on the iPhone and transfer that copy instead.

The photo opens but a video from the same iPhone won’t play: iPhone videos (.mov) are usually recorded with HEVC too. Photos and Media Player need HEVC support to play them, so either install the HEVC extension or switch the iPhone to Most Compatible for future videos.

No app can read it: Try opening the original on the device that created it, and transfer or download it again if that works. Renaming a broken or unsupported file to .jpg doesn’t repair or convert it.

Frequently Asked Questions