4 min read • Step-by-Step Tutorial
How to Open and Convert HEIC Photos on Windows 11 & 10
If you have recently transferred photos from your iPhone or iPad to a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, you have likely encountered files ending in the .HEIC extension that refuse to open. Double-clicking them in Windows Photos typically prompts you to buy the "$0.99 HEVC Video Extensions" from the Microsoft Store. In this guide, we will show you how to open and batch convert HEIC photos to JPG for free without paying Microsoft or installing bloated software.
Featured UtilityFree In-Browser Tool
PullDL HEIC to JPG Converter
Batch convert your iPhone HEIC photos to standard JPG format in seconds with 0 bytes uploaded to remote servers.
Launch Tool FreeWhy Does Windows Fail to Open iPhone HEIC Photos?
Starting with iOS 11, Apple adopted High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIC) as the default camera standard. HEIC uses modern HEVC (H.265) compression algorithms, allowing your iPhone to capture vibrant 16-bit color photos while taking roughly half the storage space of older 8-bit JPEG files.
However, because HEVC involves proprietary licensing fees, Microsoft does not bundle native HEVC playback codecs into default Windows installations. Without this codec, native Windows applications like File Explorer and Photos cannot render HEIC thumbnails or open the images.
Method 1: Batch Convert HEIC to JPG with PullDL (Recommended)
The fastest, 100% free way to make your iPhone photos accessible on Windows is converting them to standard JPG format using PullDL's in-browser converter.
Unlike traditional converter websites that upload your personal family photos to random cloud servers, PullDL processes the entire conversion locally inside your browser memory using WebAssembly. Your photos never leave your device.
How to Convert HEIC to JPG in 3 Simple Steps:
1. Open the PullDL HEIC to JPG Converter.
2. Drag and drop your .HEIC photos into the converter box (supports multiple files at once).
3. Click "Convert" and download your high-resolution JPG images individually or as a single ZIP archive.
Method 2: Change iPhone Camera Settings for Future Photos
To prevent your iPhone from taking HEIC photos in the future, you can configure iOS to always save pictures in standard JPEG:
1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Camera.
3. Tap Formats.
4. Select "Most Compatible" instead of "High Efficiency".
Note: While this ensures all new photos are taken in JPEG, it will not convert existing HEIC photos already on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about How to Open and Convert HEIC Photos on Windows 11 & 10.
Yes! PullDL converts images 100% locally in your browser memory. No photos are uploaded to any external server.