How to open iPhone photos on a Windows PC

You plug your iPhone into a Windows PC, copy your photos over, and they won't open, or they open in some apps but not in others. The reason is the file format: iPhones save photos as HEIC, and Windows doesn't read HEIC out of the box.

You have three ways to fix it. Pick the one that fits how you move photos.

1. Let the iPhone convert photos as they transfer

Best if you regularly copy photos to a PC with a cable.

1. On the iPhone, open Settings → Apps → Photos (Settings → Photos on older iOS versions).
2. Under Transfer to Mac or PC, choose Automatic.

The iPhone now converts photos to a compatible format while copying them. Your photos stay HEIC on the phone, so they still take up less space there.

If you'd rather the iPhone never take HEIC photos, choose Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible. New photos will be saved as JPG and use more storage.

2. Teach Windows to open HEIC

Best if you want to keep the HEIC originals and view them on the PC.

1. Open the Microsoft Store and install HEIF Image Extensions.
2. If photos still don't open, also install HEVC Video Extensions. Microsoft charges a small fee for it, though many PCs come with it already installed.

The Photos app, File Explorer thumbnails and Paint can then open HEIC files. Other apps may still not accept them.

3. Convert the photos you already have

Best for photos already on the PC, for sharing, or for uploading them somewhere that wants JPG.

1. Open the HEIC to JPG converter.
2. Select the HEIC files in File Explorer and drop them onto the page.
3. Select Convert to JPG, then download the photos individually or as a .zip.

The conversion runs in your browser. Your photos aren't uploaded, and location data is removed by default, so the JPGs are ready to share. Need PNGs instead? Use HEIC to PNG.

Which should you use?

If you only need to share or upload a handful of photos, option 3 is quickest and needs no installs. If you transfer photos every week, set up option 1 once and forget about it. For a step-by-step comparison, see how to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows.