HEIC to JPG on Windows
Windows does not open HEIC photos out of the box. The quickest fix is to convert them in your browser, above, with nothing installed. If you want Windows itself to open HEIC from now on, install Microsoft's free HEIF extension and, for most iPhone photos, the paid HEVC one. And if the photos are yours, stop the problem at the source on the iPhone.
See what the quality setting does
Drag the line to compare the original with the JPEG at the quality you chose. The loupe shows a 3× crop under your pointer.
Why Windows can't open HEIC
HEIC is a HEIF container holding an image compressed with HEVC, also called H.265; the standard itself assigns the .heic extension to that combination. HEVC is covered by patent licences, and Windows itself no longer includes the decoder. Microsoft sells it in the Store as HEVC Video Extensions; the HEIF container support itself, the HEIF Image Extension, is free. Until both are present, File Explorer usually shows a blank thumbnail and the Photos app can't open the file.
The four fixes, compared
| Fix | Cost | Install? | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Convert in your browser (this page) | Free | No | You need JPEGs now, on any PC, including a work PC where you can't install things. |
| 2. Microsoft's extensions | HEIF free (often already installed); HEVC around US$0.99, price checked September 2026 | Yes, from the Store | You want Windows to open every HEIC forever, thumbnails included. |
| 3. Windows Photos "Save a copy" | Free once fix 2 is in | Needs fix 2 | Occasional single files. |
| 4. Change the iPhone setting | Free | No | The photos are yours and you want future ones to be JPEG. |
Fix 1: convert in your browser
- Scroll up to the tray and drop your HEIC files, or a whole folder, onto it.
- Leave quality at 90 unless you have a reason not to.
- Click Download. One file saves directly; more than one comes as a ZIP.
The photos never leave your PC. The decoder runs inside Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
Fix 2: install Microsoft's HEIF and HEVC extensions
Open the Microsoft Store and check HEIF Image Extension, which is free and may already be installed. Most iPhone photos also need HEVC Video Extensions, which Microsoft charges for and which is the piece that is normally missing. After both are installed, HEIC files open in Photos and show thumbnails in Explorer. A free "HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer" listing also exists in the Store, but Microsoft does not document which PCs can install it.
Fix 3: save a copy from Windows Photos
Once the extensions are installed, the Photos app can open the HEIC; if your version offers a save-a-copy or save-as option with a choice of file type, pick JPEG. This is fine for one or two files and tedious for fifty. For a folder, use fix 1.
Fix 4: stop the iPhone making HEIC files
On the iPhone, open Settings, tap Camera, tap Formats, then tap Most Compatible. Apple's own instructions say new photos and videos will then use JPEG and H.264. Existing photos stay HEIC. What you give up by switching.
Questions people ask
Does converting lose quality?
Slightly, because both formats are lossy. At quality 90 the difference is often hard to see at normal viewing sizes, but do not take our word for it: the comparison panel above shows your own photo at whatever quality you pick.
Can I convert HEIC to JPG on Windows without installing anything?
Yes. That is what the tool at the top of this page is for. It needs only a browser.
Is the Microsoft HEVC extension worth buying?
If you receive iPhone photos every week and want them to just open in Explorer and Photos, it is a small one-off cost. If this is a one-off, convert instead. Check the current price on the Store page before you buy.
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