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Resolving HEIC Photo Format Issues from iPhone Transfers
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Becky Wells
0
Reputation points
How can HEIC photos transferred from an iPhone be opened on a computer? The newest photos appear incorrectly after the transfer, and they are not videos. All my previous photos have JPG format. Is contacting Apple necessary for assistance with this issue?
Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Action Center
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Kimberly Olaño 23,615 Reputation points2025-08-15T04:25:13.9233333+00:00 Hello! Becky , Kimberly here, and I’m eager to jump in and help you fix this.
You don’t need to contact Apple, this is a compatibility issue with the HEIC format, which iPhones now use by default for still photos to save storage space.
Here’s the situation and how to fix it:
Why it’s happening
Old photos were JPG because older iOS versions or settings defaulted to JPEG.
New photos are HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) because your iPhone is now set to High Efficiency in camera settings.
Many Windows computers, especially older ones, don’t have built-in HEIC/HEIF support, so the image may not display correctly after transfer.
Solutions
1. Enable HEIC support on your PC
Windows 10/11:
Go to Microsoft Store.
Search for:
HEIF Image Extensions (free)
HEVC Video Extensions (may cost ~$0.99, needed for some HEIC files)
Install both, then you should be able to open HEIC files in Photos, Paint, or other apps.
2. Convert HEIC to JPG automatically when transferring
On your iPhone:
Settings → Photos
Scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC
Select Automatic instead of “Keep Originals.”
This makes the iPhone convert photos to JPEG when sending to Windows.
3. Convert manually
If you already have HEIC files and want them in JPG:
Use online converters (e.g., iLoveIMG, CloudConvert)
Or install free tools like:
CopyTrans HEIC for Windows (adds Windows Explorer preview and conversion)
IrfanView with the HEIC plugin
4. Change iPhone camera format for future photos
Settings → Camera → Formats
Choose Most Compatible (will save as JPEG instead of HEIC).
This uses more storage, but avoids compatibility issues.
Should you have more questions, please let me know.
Best regards,
Kimberly