Recently, users have started finding photos in HEIC format / HEIF (high-efficiency image codec or format): the latest iPhones with iOS 11 they shoot in this format by default instead of JPG, the same is expected on Android P. these files do not open by default in Windows.
This tutorial details how to open HEIC in Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7, and how to convert HEIC to JPG or set your iPhone to save photos in the known format. Also there is a video at the end of this tutorial that shows how to open HEIC in Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7.
Open HEIC on Windows 10
From version 1803, Windows 10 when trying to open a HEIC file by means of a photo application it asks you to download the necessary codec from the Windows store and, once installed, files start to open and thumbnails appear in Photo Explorer in this format.
Despite this, there is a "but": Yesterday, when I was preparing this post, store codecs were free. And today, while recording a video on this topic, Microsoft was found to want $ 2 for them.
If you don't want to pay for HEIC codecs / HEIF, I recommend that you use one of the following free methods to open those photos or convert them to Jpeg. Or maybe Microsoft will come to its senses.
How to open or convert HEIC in Windows 10 (any version), 8 and Windows 7 for free
The developer CopyTrans has presented a free software that integrates HEIC support in the latest versions of Windows: "CopyTrans HEREIN for Windows".
After installing the software, the thumbnails of the photos in HEIC format will appear in the browser, as well as the context menu option "Convert to Jpeg with CopyTrans", creating a JPG copy of this file in the same folder where the original HEIC is located. Photo viewers will also be able to open these types of images.
You can download CopyTrans HEIC for Windows for free from the official web portal https://www.copytrans.net/copytransheic/ (after installation, when asked to restart your computer, make sure you do).
Most popular photo viewers are likely to start supporting HEIC in the near future.. For the moment, the versions 2.4.2 and later of XnView can do this when the plugin is installed http://www.xnview.com/download/plugins/heif_x32.zip
At the same time, if you need it, can convert HEIC to JPG online, several services have already appeared for this, as an example: https://heictojpg.com/
How to set the HEIC format / JPG and iPhone
If you don't want your iPhone to save photos in HEIC, but you want a normal JPG, you can set it as follows:
- Go to Settings – Camera – Formats.
- Instead of “High efficiency”, select “More compatible”.
Another alternative: you can make the photos of the iPhone itself be stored in HEIC, but they are converted to JPG when transferred via cable to a computer, for this, go to settings – Photos and in “Transfer to Mac or PC “select” Automatic “.
Video-tutorial.
I hope the presented methods are sufficient. If something doesn't work, or do you have any additional task to work with this type of file, leave your comments, ill try to help you.
