Copy photos from an iPhone to a Windows PC and you'll see a folder of .HEIC files that the Photos app cannot open. HEIC is Apple's default photo format since iOS 11 — roughly half the size of a JPG at the same quality — but Windows does not ship with the decoder. The fix is straightforward:
either install a codec extension, or convert the files to JPG. This guide covers four practical methods, with no quality loss in any of them.
If you just need to convert a handful of photos right now, the fastest path is an online HEIC to JPG converter — drag the files in, download JPGs a few seconds later. For regular iPhone import workflows or hundreds of photos, a desktop tool with batch conversion saves time.
Why Windows Can't Open HEIC by Default
HEIC files use HEVC (H.265) compression — the same codec used for modern video. HEVC is patented and licensed through MPEG LA, a pool of patent holders who charge per-device royalties. Microsoft cannot legally ship the decoder inside Windows without paying those fees, so they offer it only as a paid extension in the Microsoft Store.
Apple chose HEIC in 2017 because it roughly halves photo storage compared to JPG.
A typical iPhone photo is around 1.5 MB as HEIC and 3 MB as JPG at the same visual quality. For users with hundreds of photos, that is a meaningful saving — but it comes at the cost of compatibility outside the Apple ecosystem.
Third-party tools like IrfanView, XnView MP, and ImageMagick bundle their own HEIC decoders (usually open-source implementations like libheif), so they read HEIC files without needing the Microsoft extension.
Method 1: Online Converter (Fastest)
For most users, an online converter is the right answer. There is nothing to install, it works on any operating system, and modern converters handle batch uploads of dozens of files at once.
- Open the HEIC to JPG converter page.
- Drag your .HEIC files onto the upload area, or click to browse.
- The files convert automatically — quality is set to 95 by default, which is visually indistinguishable from the HEIC original.
- Download the JPGs individually or as a ZIP archive. Conversion runs in seconds per file. For a batch of 50 photos, expect roughly 30 seconds total. The JPGs come out at the same resolution as the HEIC originals (typically 4032×3024 for an iPhone main camera) with EXIF metadata preserved.
Method 2: Windows Photos App + HEVC Extension
If you prefer to keep everything native, install the HEVC Video Extension and use the built-in Photos app. This avoids third-party software but costs around $0.99 for the codec.
- Open the Microsoft Store and search for HEVC Video Extensions (published by Microsoft). It costs roughly $0.99.
- Install the extension. You may need to restart the Photos app.
- Double-click any .HEIC file — it now opens in the Photos app.
- To convert: open the file, click Save as, choose JPG, and pick a destination.
The Photos app method works for one file at a time. For batch conversion of dozens of HEIC files, this gets tedious — use Method 3 or 4 instead.
A free alternative is the HEIF Image Extensions (separate from the HEVC extension). It adds HEIF container support to Windows, but still needs the HEVC codec to decode the actual image data. Installing both free HEIF + paid HEVC is the official route; installing just the free HEIF alone is not enough.
Method 3: IrfanView or XnView MP (Best for Batch)
For regular iPhone import workflows — a folder of 200 photos from a trip — a free desktop batch converter is the right tool. IrfanView (lightweight, fast) and XnView MP (more features, modern UI) are the two most popular choices. Both bundle their own HEIC decoder, so no Microsoft extension needed.
IrfanView batch conversion
- Download IrfanView and the IrfanView plugins package (the plugins include the HEIC decoder).
- Open IrfanView, press B to open the batch conversion dialog.
- Add your HEIC files (or a whole folder with Add all).
- Set Output format to JPG. Click Options and set quality to 95.
- Set an output directory, then click Start.
IrfanView converts roughly 5-10 files per second on a modern PC. A folder of 200 HEIC photos finishes in under a minute.
XnView MP batch conversion
XnView MP has a more visual interface — you can preview each HEIC file before converting. Select the files, right-click → Batch Convert, pick JPG as the format, set quality, and start. XnView MP also handles rename patterns (e.g. vacation_{{###}}.jpg) which is useful when organising imports.
Method 4: PowerShell + ImageMagick
If you want full automation — for example, watching a folder and converting every new iPhone import — ImageMagick is a command-line tool that handles HEIC to JPG with a single command. Install it once, then reuse the command forever.
Install ImageMagick
Download from the official ImageMagick site and install with default options.
Make sure the Add to PATH option is checked during install.
Verify with:
magick -version
Convert a single file
magick IMG_1234.HEIC -quality 95 IMG_1234.jpg
Convert every HEIC in a folder
{"Get-ChildItem *.HEIC | ForEach-Object { magick $_ -quality 95 ($_.BaseName + ".jpg") }"}
Run this in PowerShell inside the folder containing your HEIC files. Every file is converted in place, with the same base name and a .jpg extension. Add the line to a .ps1 script to make it reusable.
Quality Settings: What to Pick
JPG quality is a number from 1 to 100. Higher means better quality and larger file size. The HEIC original is roughly equivalent to JPG quality 97-98, so converting at quality 95 or higher keeps the result visually identical.
| Quality | File size (typical iPhone photo) | Visible quality | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 5-8 MB | Identical to HEIC | Archival, future editing |
| 95 | 2-3 MB | Visually identical | Everyday use (recommended) |
| 85 | 1-1.5 MB | Minor artifacts on close inspection | Web upload, email |
| 75 | 600-800 KB | Noticeable artifacts in skies, skin | Thumbnails only |
| Stick to quality 95 unless you have a specific reason to go lower. The file is already 2× larger than the HEIC original — there is no point squeezing further and losing visible detail. |
Should You Just Disable HEIC on Your iPhone?
You can set your iPhone to capture JPG instead of HEIC by going to Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible. New photos save as JPG and work everywhere. The trade-off: storage use roughly doubles.
For most users this is unnecessary. HEIC's storage saving is meaningful if you keep thousands of photos on your phone or in iCloud, and the conversion to JPG is a one-click operation when you need to share. Keep HEIC as the capture format, convert when exporting to Windows or sharing with someone on an older device.
If you edit photos in Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Photo, or similar tools, check their HEIC support — most modern versions (2023+) read HEIC natively. Only older editors need a JPG conversion first.
HEIC vs JPG: Practical Summary
| File size (same scene) | HEIC ~1.5 MB · JPG ~3 MB at quality 95 |
|---|---|
| Bit depth | HEIC supports 10-bit · JPG is 8-bit |
| --- | --- |
| Compatible with | JPG: everywhere · HEIC: Apple devices, modern Windows with codec, Android 9+ |
| --- | --- |
| Extra features | HEIC stores depth maps, bursts, Live Photo motion · JPG is a single static image |
| --- | --- |
| Best used for | HEIC: capture and archival · JPG: sharing, editing on older tools, universal compatibility |
| --- | --- |
Keeping EXIF Metadata After Conversion
EXIF metadata includes the camera model, timestamp, exposure settings, and GPS location. Whether this survives conversion depends on the tool:
- Online converters: usually preserve EXIF, but some strip it by default to reduce file size. Check the options before converting if location data matters.
- IrfanView: preserves EXIF by default. There is an option to strip it in the save dialog if you want to.
- ImageMagick: preserves EXIF by default. Add -strip to the command to remove it deliberately.
- Windows Photos app: preserves EXIF when saving as JPG.
If you share the converted JPGs publicly and want to remove location data, run a tool that strips EXIF before uploading. Privacy-first: assume the location is attached unless you explicitly removed it.
Related Conversions
HEIC files from iPhone can also be converted to PNG if you need lossless editing, or to AVIF for next-generation web use. For a deeper look at which image format to pick for which purpose, see our PNG vs JPG vs WebP comparison and the overview of image optimisation for the web .
Quick Recommendations
- One-time conversion of a few photos: use an online converter . Takes seconds, nothing to install.
- Regular imports of hundreds of photos: install IrfanView or XnView MP and use their batch mode.
- Automated folder watching: use ImageMagick in a PowerShell script.
- Want HEIC to just open natively: buy the $0.99 HEVC Video Extension from the Microsoft Store.
- Want to prevent HEIC entirely: set iPhone to Most Compatible mode and accept the doubled storage.
- Keep HEIC originals when you can. Convert to JPG for sharing, not for archival — HEIC stores more data in less space.