Change HEIC files to JPG

What is a HEIC file?

What is the HEIC file type?

HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It’s a newer (compared to JPG and PNG) file format that was created for more modern and efficient compression of graphic files. Its main advantage is that it has more detailed images that are half the size of a normal file.

Why are my iPhone photos in HEIC?

Ever since Apple introduced the .heic format to iOS in 2017, iPhones and iPads have been taking photos in HEIC by default. To stop taking pictures in HEIC, go to the Settings app > Camera > Formats > Most compatible. The High Efficiency option means shooting in HEIF/HEVC.

HEIF, HEIC or HEVC?

HEIF, High Efficiency Image File Format, is a container format that is based on advanced video compression technology – HEVC or h.265. On its turn, HEVC is a video codec (High Efficiency Video Codec) and is often used for iPhone .mov 4k videos (see how to open hevc encoded iPhone videos on Windows here). Apple adopted the HEIF technology in 2017 and introduced .heic extension to iOS 11. HEIC format photos take less space while preserving image quality.

Can a Windows PC open HEIC files?

In 2024, Windows 10 still doesn’t offer native support for .heic images. The Photos app in Windows 11 also can’t view HEIC by default either. Because of copyright issues, Windows had to make support for HEIF, HEIC and HEVC formats separate. To make it work, you will have to install several Windows plug-ins (some of them are paid). CopyTrans Studio offers a solution that allows you to display, view and convert these files for free and offline.

How do I open a HEIC file?

Since Windows does not natively support HEIF files, all your photos in this format will appear as white rectangles with a .heic extension and cannot be opened in any photo viewer. CopyTrans Studio integrates a .heic reader in your Windows system: the photo thumbnails will now be displayed automatically. In addition, you’ll be able to open .heic images directly in Windows Photo Viewer, the Windows Photo app, or CopyTrans Viewer (along with other tricky Apple formats).

How to convert HEIC to JPEG for free?

In order to change your HEIC photos to a more compatible JPG format, install CopyTrans Studio on your computer, then select the .heic files you need to convert, right-click and select “Convert to JPEG with CopyTrans”. No need to launch any other application or connect to the Internet, your converted files will just appear next to the original one. Read this article to get more options on HEIC to JPG conversion (convert during transfer from iPhone).

Can I convert entire HEIC folders?

Yes, this is otally possible with CopyTrans Studio. A lot of our users requested this feature and here it is! The process is just the same as with the 1 file conversion: select, right-click, choose “Convert with CopyTrans”. More info in this article: How to convert entire folders to JPG.