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Why won't my iPhone photos open on Windows?

Updated

You copy photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC, double-click one, and get an error, or a message asking you to install something. Or a website refuses the photo when you try to upload it. The cause is almost always the same: the photos are HEIC files, and Windows doesn’t read them out of the box.

This guide explains why that happens and compares the three ways to fix it, so you can pick the one that suits you.

Why it happens

Since 2017, iPhones have saved photos as HEIC by default (Apple calls this setting High Efficiency). HEIC keeps photos looking good while using much less space on the phone. The catch is that it uses the same compression as 4K video (HEVC), and Windows needs extra software to decode it. Many websites and online forms don’t accept HEIC at all.

You can recognise these files by the .HEIC ending on the file name, such as IMG_1234.HEIC.

Option 1: Install Microsoft’s extensions

Windows can show HEIC photos once two apps from the Microsoft Store are installed: HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions. Microsoft’s own listing says the HEVC one is needed to view .heic photos, and it is usually a paid app.

Good for: looking at your photos in the Photos app on your own PC.

Not enough when:

  • You need to upload the photos to a website or form. They are still HEIC files, so the website still refuses them.
  • You send them to someone else. Their PC needs the extensions too.
  • You use a work or school PC where the Microsoft Store is blocked.

Option 2: Change your iPhone’s settings

Two settings on the iPhone stop the problem for future photos.

Have the camera save JPG

Open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG (and new videos as H.264), which open everywhere. The trade-off is that they take noticeably more space on your phone.

Convert photos when copying them to a PC

Open Settings, then Photos (under Apps on newer versions of iOS), and scroll to the bottom. Make sure Keep Originals is off. On older versions, the same choice is under Transfer to Mac or PC: choose Automatic. When you copy photos to a PC with a cable, the iPhone then usually converts them to JPG as they are copied, and keeps HEIC on the phone itself.

Apple notes that photos sent by AirDrop, Messages or email may also be converted to a more compatible format if the receiving device doesn’t support HEIC, but photos synced through iCloud Photos keep their original format.

Good for: avoiding the problem from now on.

Not enough when: the photos are already on your PC as HEIC files. Changing the settings doesn’t convert them.

Option 3: Convert the photos you already have

The quickest fix for photos already on your PC is to turn them into JPGs. HEIC to JPG on Windows does this in your browser (Edge, Chrome or Firefox), with nothing to install:

  1. Open the page and click Select HEIC photos.
  2. Go to the folder with your iPhone photos and press Ctrl+A to select them all.
  3. Click Convert to JPG, then download them all as one ZIP file.
  4. Right-click the ZIP in your Downloads folder and choose Extract All.

The JPGs open in every Windows program and upload to any website. The photos are converted on your own PC and never uploaded anywhere.

One thing to know: the new JPGs don’t keep the photo’s location, camera details or the date it was taken. That is safer for sharing online, but keep the originals if you sort your photos by date.

Good for: photos you need right now, uploading to forms and websites, and sending to other people.

Which should you choose?

Install extensions Change iPhone settings Convert to JPG
Fixes photos already on your PC Only for viewing No Yes
Photos work on websites and forms No Yes, for new photos Yes
Photos work on other people’s PCs No Yes, for new photos Yes
Cost Usually paid Free Free

For most people, the best combination is: convert the photos you have now, and turn off Keep Originals (or choose Automatic) so future photos arrive as JPG when you copy them. Switch the camera to Most Compatible only if you often send photos straight from your phone to places that refuse HEIC.

Uploading a converted photo to a form?

Forms often have size limits as well as format rules. Once your photo is a JPG, Compress image can bring it under a KB limit. For the full process, see How to prepare a photo and signature for an online application form.

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Frequently asked questions

Does converting to JPG delete or change my original photos?

No. Converting makes new JPG copies. The HEIC originals on your PC or iPhone are not touched, so you can keep them as a backup.

Is HEIC better quality than JPG?

HEIC stores a photo of similar quality in less space, which is why iPhones use it. For everyday use you won't see a difference once a photo is converted to JPG at high quality. The main cost of JPG is that the files are larger.

My iPhone videos won't play on Windows either. Is it the same problem?

Often, yes. iPhones record video as HEVC by default, which needs the same paid Windows extension. Choosing Most Compatible in the iPhone's camera settings records new videos as H.264 instead, which plays everywhere. PDFHive converts photos only, not videos.

If I switch my iPhone to Most Compatible, are my old photos converted?

No. The setting only changes how new photos are saved. Photos you have already taken stay HEIC, so convert those separately.

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