HEIC File Extension: Everything You Need to Know

The .heic extension shows up on photos from iPhones and causes compatibility headaches everywhere else. Here's a complete guide to understanding, opening, and converting .heic files.

Quick Reference: .heic Files

Full name:High Efficiency Image Container
Developed by:MPEG (adopted by Apple)
First appeared:iOS 11, September 2017
Compression:HEVC (H.265) — lossy
Typical file size:3–6 MB (12MP photo)
Mac support:macOS High Sierra+
Windows support:Requires HEVC extension
Android support:Android 12+ (partial)

What Is the .heic Extension?

The .heic file extension identifies photos taken on iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 or later. When you take a photo on your iPhone, it automatically saves as a .heic file — a format Apple chose for its superior compression efficiency compared to the decades-old .jpg format.

The "container" aspect of HEIC means a single .heic file can hold:

  • The main photo (still image)
  • A short video clip (for Live Photos)
  • Depth map data (for Portrait mode photos)
  • Multiple exposure images (for HDR)
  • Full EXIF metadata (date, location, camera settings)
  • Color profile information

This versatility is why Apple chose HEIC — it's not just a replacement for JPG, it's a richer format that supports modern iPhone camera features.

Programs That Open .heic Files

Windows

  • Microsoft Photos (with HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft Store)
  • IrfanView (with HEIF/HEIC plugin)
  • XnView MP
  • Adobe Photoshop CC 2018+
  • GIMP (with HEIF plugin)

Install 'HEVC Video Extensions' from Microsoft Store to enable Windows native support.

Mac

  • Preview (built-in, macOS High Sierra+)
  • Photos (built-in)
  • Safari
  • Adobe Photoshop CC 2018+
  • Affinity Photo
  • Pixelmator Pro

HEIC is fully native on Mac — no additional software needed.

Android

  • Google Photos (Android 12+)
  • Samsung Gallery (One UI 3.0+)
  • Files by Google (Android 12+)

For older Android versions, convert using ConvertHEIC.org in Chrome.

Linux

  • GNOME Files (with heif-gdk-pixbuf plugin)
  • gThumb (with libheif)
  • Shotwell
  • GIMP (with HEIF plugin)

Run 'sudo apt install libheif-examples' for command-line HEIC support.

How to Change iPhone's Default Photo Format

If you want your iPhone to save photos as JPG instead of HEIC, the setting is in Camera settings:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap Camera.
  3. Tap Formats.
  4. Select Most Compatible (saves as JPG) instead of "High Efficiency" (saves as HEIC).

This only affects new photos. Existing HEIC photos on your iPhone remain in HEIC format. To convert existing photos, use ConvertHEIC.org or Mac Preview.

Trade-off: Switching to JPG roughly doubles the file size of each photo. On a 256 GB iPhone, this means approximately half as many photos before storage fills up.

Converting .heic to Other File Formats

.heic → .jpg

ConvertHEIC.org (free, browser-based) or Mac Preview

Best for: Sharing, web upload, email, printing

.heic → .png

Mac Preview: File → Export → PNG; or IrfanView on Windows

Best for: Transparency, graphics, lossless editing

.heic → .pdf

Mac Preview: File → Export as PDF; or Print → Save as PDF

Best for: Documents, archival, cross-platform sharing

.heic → .webp

XnConvert (free, cross-platform) or command-line tools

Best for: Web images — smaller than JPG with good quality

.heic → .tiff

Mac Preview: File → Export → TIFF; professional quality

Best for: Professional print, publishing workflows

.heic → .bmp

IrfanView on Windows; Paint (open JPG → Save As BMP)

Best for: Legacy software compatibility

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the .heic file extension?
.heic is the file extension for High Efficiency Image Container files — Apple's default photo format since iOS 11 (2017). Files ending in .heic are photos taken on iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 or later. The format uses HEVC (H.265) compression to store photos at about half the file size of equivalent JPG images.
What programs open .heic files?
On Mac: Preview, Photos, Safari, and most photo apps open .heic natively. On Windows: the Photos app opens .heic after installing 'HEVC Video Extensions' from Microsoft Store. IrfanView and XnView with HEIC plugins also work. On Android: Google Photos on Android 12+. On Linux: Shotwell and gThumb with libheif installed.
How do I change a .heic file extension to .jpg?
Simply renaming .heic to .jpg does NOT work — the file format itself must be converted, not just the extension. Use ConvertHEIC.org to properly convert the image data from HEIC format to JPG format. On Mac, you can also use Preview: File → Export → Format: JPEG. Renaming without conversion will result in a broken file.
How do I stop iPhone from saving photos as .heic?
Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and select 'Most Compatible' instead of 'High Efficiency'. Your iPhone will then save new photos as JPG (.jpg) instead of HEIC (.heic). Note: this doesn't change existing HEIC photos — only new photos taken after the setting change.
Why does my iPhone email photos as .heic but they arrive as .jpg?
iOS has a smart conversion feature: when sharing photos with non-Apple devices via AirDrop, Messages, or Mail (with 'Automatic' transfer setting), iOS automatically converts HEIC to JPG. Go to Settings → Photos → 'Transfer to Mac or PC' → Automatic to ensure this happens consistently. When the recipient device is identified as non-Apple, iOS sends JPG.
What is the difference between .heic and .heif extensions?
.heic and .heif refer to essentially the same format — HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format). Apple uses .heic specifically, while other implementations (like some Android cameras and Windows exports) may use .heif. Both extensions use HEVC compression and have identical technical capabilities. Most HEIC-compatible software also opens .heif files.
Can I convert .heic to other formats besides JPG?
Yes. From a .heic file you can convert to: JPG (most compatible, good compression), PNG (lossless, larger files), WebP (modern web format, smaller than JPG), TIFF (professional printing), BMP (uncompressed). For JPG conversion, use ConvertHEIC.org for free browser-based conversion. For other formats, use Mac Preview, IrfanView, or XnConvert.
Is .heic the same as .hevc?
.heic is an image format; .hevc typically refers to video files using the H.265/HEVC codec. They use the same underlying compression technology (HEVC), but .heic stores still images while .hevc stores video. A HEIC file can contain a short video clip (as in Live Photos), but the container format is different from standalone video files.

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