How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows

If you've ever transferred photos from an iPhone to a Windows PC and found files that won't open, there's a good chance they're saved in HEIC format. HEIC has been the default photo format on iPhones since iOS 11, and while it saves storage space, it isn't natively supported by every version of Windows.

There are two main paths to fix this: install Microsoft's free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store, which lets Windows' built-in Photos app and File Explorer display HEIC thumbnails and open the files directly, or convert the specific files you need into JPG, which works everywhere without installing anything and produces a file you can share, upload, or edit in any program.

Installing the HEIF extension is a good long-term fix if you regularly receive HEIC photos and want your PC to handle them natively going forward. It's a one-time setup: search the Microsoft Store for "HEIF Image Extensions," install it, and Windows will then be able to open and preview HEIC files like any other image type.

Converting to JPG is the better option when you only need a handful of specific photos to work in a program, form, or website that doesn't accept HEIC at all — some upload forms, older software, and third-party services still reject HEIC outright regardless of whether your PC can view it. An online converter handles this in seconds without any installation.

A third option, if you're tired of dealing with this repeatedly, is changing your iPhone's camera settings directly: go to Settings → Camera → Formats and select "Most Compatible." This makes your iPhone save new photos as JPG going forward, avoiding the issue entirely for future pictures — though any HEIC photos already in your camera roll will still need to be converted individually.

Whichever approach fits your situation, the underlying photo quality is preserved either way — HEIC and JPG are just two different containers for the same image data, and converting between them for viewing purposes doesn't meaningfully affect how the photo looks.