First, try opening the HEIC file in Windows Photos
On a Windows PC with the necessary image support installed, HEIC files can open in the Photos app like other images.
If Windows says that an extension or codec is required, the file itself may be fine. The PC may simply be missing support for the HEIF or HEVC technology used by the image.
Windows may need HEIF or HEVC support
Microsoft provides HEIF Image Extensions for Windows and notes that some HEIF and HEVC media may also require HEVC support.
After installing the required components, close and reopen the Photos app before trying the image again.
- Open Microsoft Store
- Search for HEIF Image Extensions
- Install the required image support
- Restart Photos and try the HEIC file again
You can also view HEIC photos through OneDrive
Microsoft says HEIF photos stored in OneDrive can be previewed through the OneDrive website even when the local Windows computer does not have everything needed to open the file directly.
This can be useful if you only need to inspect the photo and do not want to change its format.
Convert HEIC to JPG when compatibility matters
If the photo needs to work with a website, application or older program that does not support HEIC, converting it to JPG is often the simplest solution.
JPG is supported by a much wider range of software. Keep the original HEIC as well if the image is important, because conversion creates a new encoded version rather than replacing the source format without change.
You can make future iPhone photos more compatible
Apple provides a Most Compatible camera setting on supported iPhones. When available, this causes new photos to be captured as JPEG instead of using the High Efficiency format.
On iPhone, open Settings, choose Camera, then Formats and select Most Compatible if you prefer compatibility over HEIC storage efficiency.