The short answer:
.heicand.hevcfiles are not corrupted. Since iOS 11, Apple has stored photos in HEIF and videos in HEVC because they take up less space than JPEG and H.264 at the same image quality. Windows needs two separate extensions from the Microsoft Store to open them—and without the video extension, a.heicfile will not open even if the image extension is installed. If you do not want to install anything, go to Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible on your iPhone; all new photos and videos will then use JPEG and H.264, respectively. However, this will not change HEIC photos you have already taken. Those need to be converted, and you should always convert copies, never the originals.
Why iPhones take photos in HEIC
HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) for photos and HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265) for videos arrived with iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra 10.13. Apple gives a simple reason for using them: they provide better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they take up less space on devices and in iCloud Photos at the same image quality.
In practice, this means you can fit noticeably more photos on the same phone. The trade-off is compatibility outside the Apple ecosystem—and that is exactly what this article addresses.
The .heic extension identifies a HEIF image compressed using HEVC. That is why these two formats come together as part of the same problem.
Which iPhones and iPads are affected
Apple provides a specific list of devices that can capture HEIF and HEVC media when running iOS 11 or later, iPadOS, or visionOS:
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus or later
- iPad (6th generation) or later
- iPad Air (3rd generation) or later
- iPad mini (5th generation) or later
- iPad Pro (10.5-inch), iPad Pro (11-inch), and iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 2nd generation) or later
- Apple Vision Pro
Older devices cannot capture HEIF and HEVC media, but when running iOS 11 or later, iPadOS, visionOS, or macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later, they can display, edit, or duplicate it—with certain limitations.
If you are unsure which device you have, see how to identify the exact model of your Apple device. It does not matter much when configuring formats, but for any service request, the model name is the first detail we ask for.
How Windows handles it
Windows supports HEIF through an optional codec rather than out of the box. Microsoft explains this in its HEIF codec documentation, including one detail that most online guides miss:
- HEIF Image Extensions add HEIF format support to Windows.
- Images in HEIF files with the
.heicextension are compressed using HEVC. According to Microsoft, if the HEVC extension is not installed, the HEIF codec cannot read or write.heicfiles.
In other words, you can install the image extension, restart Photos, and still find that the .heic file will not open—because the other half is missing. Both extensions are installed from the Microsoft Store as separate items.
One more note for business environments: the Microsoft Store is often blocked by Group Policy on corporate Windows devices, so users cannot install anything themselves. In such cases, it makes more sense to reconfigure the phones than to work around company policy on the computers.
The quickest permanent solution: change the iPhone setting
If your photos regularly end up on a Windows PC, change the capture format. Apple provides the following steps:
- Open Settings and tap Camera.
- Tap Formats, then select Most Compatible.
All new photos and videos will then use JPEG and H.264, respectively. To return to the space-saving formats, select High Efficiency. This option is available only on devices capable of capturing HEIF and HEVC media—in other words, the models listed above.
What this does not do: it does not convert HEIC photos you have already taken. They remain unchanged.
If you want to keep HEIC and handle conversion during transfer
The other option is to keep capturing photos in the space-saving format and rely on conversion during import. Apple states that when you import HEIF or HEVC media from an iPhone or iPad connected to a computer into Photos, Image Capture, or a PC, the media may be converted to JPEG or H.264. If you do not want this to happen, you can disable it under Settings → Apps → Photos → and then enable Keep Originals at the bottom.
This is also the most common source of confusion: two people with the same phone may end up with different files on their computers because they have configured this setting differently.
| What you need | Where to find it | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Take photos in JPEG and record video in H.264 | Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible | devices that support HEIF/HEVC |
| Return to space-saving formats | same menu → High Efficiency | same devices |
| Allow conversion during transfer to a PC | Settings → Apps → Photos → Keep Originals disabled | iOS versions with this Settings path |
| Transfer originals to a PC without conversion | same menu → Keep Originals enabled | same versions |
| Take photos in ProRAW (DNG) | Settings → Camera → Formats → Apple ProRAW | iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models, iOS 14.3+ |
| Select 12 or 48 MP for ProRAW | Formats → ProRAW Resolution | iPhone 14 Pro and later |
| Switch the main camera between 24 and 12 MP | Formats → Photo Mode | supported models |
Painless batch conversion
Photos you have already taken need to be converted. Apple describes a manual method on a Mac: open a HEIF image in Photos or Preview, select File → Export, and choose a format such as JPEG or PNG before saving it. For videos in QuickTime Player, select File → Export As and switch from Smaller File Size (HEVC) to Greater Compatibility (H.264).
When you have thousands of photos, follow four rules to keep this routine task from turning into a problem:
- Work on copies. Leave the originals where they are until the conversion is complete and verified.
- Compare file counts. After conversion, compare the number of files in the source and destination folders. Any discrepancy means something failed.
- Check the capture date. Some converters discard metadata, leaving you with a pile of photos that have no chronology. Check a few images to make sure their dates are correct.
- Do not install the first „HEIC converter" you find. There is an unusually large number of applications from questionable sources surrounding this format. In a company, ask your administrator to handle it.
What you lose by switching formats
The change comes with trade-offs, and it is worth being upfront about them.
- Storage space. Apple states that HEIF and HEVC take up less space at the same image quality. Switching to Most Compatible therefore means larger files for the same photos.
- Conversion creates a new saved copy. JPEG is a lossy format, so converting a HEIC image creates another compressed copy. You will not notice this after a single conversion, but you may after repeatedly converting back and forth—which is why you should always convert from the original, not from an earlier output.
- Sharing can handle conversion automatically. Apple notes that if the receiving device does not support the newer formats, the media may automatically be shared in a more compatible format, such as JPEG or H.264. If you mainly send photos through messages or email, you may not need to change anything.
Do not confuse it with ProRAW
On iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models running iOS 14.3 or later, the same Formats menu also contains Apple ProRAW. This is not a replacement for HEIC but a separate format designed for advanced editing. It uses DNG files, which are many times larger.
More specifically, Apple states that on iPhone 14 Pro and later models, ProRAW photos can be captured at 12 or 48 megapixels. A 12 MP image is approximately 25 MB, while a 48 MP image is approximately 75 MB. In addition, only photos taken with the main camera at 1× can be saved at 48 MP.
So when someone finds that their „iPhone photos take up 75 MB each," the HEIC setting is not at fault—they have ProRAW enabled.
How we can help
This is a configuration issue, not a fault, and most people can resolve it using the instructions above. In a company where photos are taken in the field and must open on every computer without prompting, however, it is worth setting everything up properly once: the formats on the phones, the codecs or policy on the workstations, and a clear transfer procedure.
We can help configure iPhones and iPads, transfer photos to computers, and perform batch conversions while leaving the originals untouched. Get in touch through our contact page or call 774 777 774. It helps to know the phone model and the version of Windows installed on the destination computers beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
Photos from my iPhone 15 Pro won’t open on my computer. Why?
They are in HEIC format. Windows needs HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store, plus HEVC Video Extensions for .heic files—Microsoft states that the HEIF codec cannot read .heic files without it. If you do not want to install anything, switch the phone to Most Compatible.
If I switch my iPhone to Most Compatible, will it convert my old photos too?
No. The setting applies only to newly captured photos and videos. Existing HEIC files remain unchanged and must be converted separately—ideally from copies, with the file count and capture dates checked afterward.
Which iPhones take photos in HEIC?
According to Apple, HEIF and HEVC media can be captured by the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus or later, iPad 6th generation or later, iPad Air 3rd generation or later, iPad mini 5th generation or later, the listed iPad Pro models, and Apple Vision Pro—when running iOS 11 or later.
How do I transfer originals from my iPhone to a PC without conversion?
Go to Settings → Apps → Photos and enable Keep Originals. Apple states that otherwise, media may be converted to JPEG or H.264 when imported into Photos, Image Capture, or a PC.
Will converting to JPEG reduce image quality?
JPEG is a lossy format, so conversion creates a new compressed copy. A single conversion from the original is usually fine. What you should avoid is repeatedly converting the same photo back and forth.
Why are my photos over 70 MB each?
This is consistent with Apple ProRAW being enabled at 48 MP. Apple states that a 12 MP ProRAW image is approximately 25 MB and a 48 MP image approximately 75 MB. The option is available under Settings → Camera → Formats on the iPhone 14 Pro and later models.
Sources
- Apple: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices
- Apple: Change advanced camera settings on iPhone
- Apple: About Apple ProRAW
- Microsoft Learn: HEIF extension codec (
.heicsupport requires the HEVC extension) - Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions
- Microsoft Store: HEVC Video Extensions
Where to find us
ITHOPE is a company based in Brno, Czechia: we do data recovery from disks, RAID and NAS, PC and laptop service and IT for business, all in our own lab at Viniční 3587/216, 615 00 Brno.
Phone +420 775 556 063 (24/7 line). You can bring the device in person, or send it by courier (Zásilkovna, PPL).