With iOS 11 Apple has switched to the HEIC/HEIF (“high efficiency” Image File) file format for photos to keep down file sizes. And now latest iPhone shoots pictures in HEIC format which is a new image compression format that compresses images with higher efficiency. But the main problem of this new photo type is that HEIC file format not supports on Windows computers, Android devices, and other related devices. Recently Google is also rumored to add the HEIC format to upcoming Android P That’s fine for mobile users, but Windows 10 doesn’t support HEIC. So if you have HEIC image files or H.265 videos, and looking for open them on Windows 10 PC here this guide ” How to open HEIC file in Windows 10 Or convert HEIC to jpg ” for you.
What is HEIC file?
HEIC (developed by MPEG) is the new file type of photos that use codecs like the High-Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC) to significantly improve file compression, while still providing better image quality and additional benefits over older formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF. As its name implies, HEIC file format serves as a better way of storing image files as small file sizes and still retain a high image quality compared to its JPEG version.
- It saves images about half the size of JPEG with the same image quality
- Allows the storage of multiple images in one file (also ideal for Live Photos and bursts)
- Compatible with transparency such as GIF files
- Store image edits such as rotating and cropping if you want to undo them.
- Compatible with 16-bit color vs. JPG’s 8-bit.
But the problem with the new file format, It is not compatible with all operating systems.
Open HEIC file in Windows 10
Microsoft doesn’t include HEIC support in the default Windows 10 installation, you can now open photos and videos wrapped in this file container. As Microsoft
“Images that are stored in HEIF files that have the .heic file extension are compressed using the HEVC format. Such files require the HEVC Video Extensions package to be installed as well. If the HEVC Video Extensions package is not installed, the HEIF Image Extension will not be able to read or write .heic files.”
However, it’s not a feature that comes enabled by default. Instead, you need to download and install two extensions to open HEIC images and videos encoded using HEVC (also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2).
If you’re running Windows 10 version 17134 (a.k.a. the April Update) or higher, search for HEIF Image Extensions in the Microsoft Store app and click the Install button.
Use this Microsoft Store link to get the HEVC Video Extensions, Click the Install button. While you may think that installing the HEIF codec will be enough to open this file format, you must also install both codecs in order to view images and play videos. Once you complete these steps, Windows 10 and the Photos app will be able to read and write HEIF files, which are usually found with .heic, .heif, and .avci file extensions.
Note: HEIF files using HEVC codecs require modern hardware, such as Intel 7th Gen Core processors and newer graphics cards. Otherwise, the extension will not work as expected when playing videos.
Also, you can Download and install CopyTrans HEIC for Windows a free application from WindSolutions, a company specialized in apps that interact with the Apple ecosystem. In order to add native support to Windows, the app uses the same integration technology that Nikon and Canon are using to make their RAW formats compatible to Windows.
Once the app is installed, it will add HEIC support to Windows, as such:
- All HEIC files will display thumbnails in File Explorer
- Double-clicking a HEIF file will open it in Windows Photo Viewer, just like with any other image format.
- You can print HEIC files right from Windows Photo Viewer
- You can insert HEIC files in Microsoft Office applications such as Word or PowerPoint
In order to achieve all that, you simply have to:
1. Download CopyTrans HEIC for Windows (Free).
2. Install it. No restart is needed. and open the folder where HEIC images located.
Convert HEIC to jpg
If you don’t want to install any software, you can always use an online conversion tool that converts heic to jpg. Just upload the .HEIC file and you’ll be able to download a .JPEG.
Again If you want to keep photos as HEIC in iPhone or iPad, but also be able to view photos on Windows computer, you can simply email your HEIC photos to yourself as well. Sharing photos via Mail will convert HEIC to JPG automatically while sending.
- Select photos and click the Share button.
- Tap Mail and choose the original file size for the best quality.
Also, you can upload HEIC photos to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, which will automatically convert heic files to jpg.
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