What is HEIC, and why won’t my photos open?
Since 2017, iPhones save photos as HEIC instead of JPG. The format is genuinely better — the same picture in roughly half the storage — but it relies on the patent-encumbered HEVC codec. That’s why a photo that looks perfect on your iPhone can show up as an unreadable file on a Windows PC, an Android phone, a web form or a photo-printing site.
AirDrop and the Photos app quietly convert to JPG for you in some situations, but email attachments, iCloud downloads, USB transfers and the Files app usually hand over the original .heic file. Converting it once to a widely supported format is the simplest fix.
Choose a converter
- JPG HEIC to JPG Opens on every device, app and website.
- PNG HEIC to PNG Lossless — best for editing and design.
- PDF HEIC to PDF One document from one or many photos.
- WebP HEIC to WebP Smallest files for websites and blogs.
- GIF HEIC to GIF For old systems, forums and email signatures.
- AVIF HEIC to AVIF Next-gen format, about half the size of JPG.
- TIFF HEIC to TIFF Lossless for printing, publishing and archives.
- BMP HEIC to BMP Plain bitmap for legacy and embedded software.
Frequently asked questions
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the photo format iPhones and iPads have used by default since iOS 11. It stores an image compressed with HEVC, the same technology used for 4K video, so a photo takes about half the space of a JPG with the same visual quality.
Why won’t my HEIC photos open on Windows or Android?
Decoding HEIC requires the HEVC codec, which is covered by patents. Windows only opens HEIC after installing the HEIF and HEVC extensions from the Microsoft Store (the HEVC one often costs money), many Android phones and web services don’t support it at all, and no browser except Safari can display it. Converting to a common format fixes that.
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
Nearly. HEIF is the container standard; HEIC is a HEIF file whose images are HEVC-encoded, which is what Apple devices produce. Files may end in .heic, .heif or .hif — this converter reads all of them.
Is this converter really free and private?
Yes. Conversion runs inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your photos stay on your device. The site is funded by ads, not by your data.