Can't Open HEIC Photos? Guide to Fixing iPhone Photo Compatibility Issues
Since iOS 11, iPhones have used HEIC as the default format for storing photos. At the same image quality, HEIC files are 30% to 50% smaller than JPG. This article explains HEIC compatibility issues and conversion solutions.
Diperbarui 2026-08-11
Technical Background of HEIC, HEIF and HEVC
HEIC is the file extension for still images encapsulated based on the HEIF image file format and compressed using HEVC high-efficiency video coding. In the iOS 11 system released by Apple in 2017, the default photo storage format was changed from JPG to HEIC.
The core reason Apple adopted HEIC is its advantage in compression efficiency. For photos of the same scene with identical quality, HEIC files are 30% to 50% smaller than JPG. A 128GB iPhone can store nearly one thousand additional original photos with HEIC, effectively reducing storage usage.
Current HEIC Compatibility Status on Major Platforms
Windows 10 version 1809 and later versions support HEIC preview via the built-in HEVC Video Extension. Windows 7 and earlier versions have no native support, and most third-party image viewers also cannot read HEIC files directly.
Android 10 and later versions have native support for the HEIC format. Some low- to mid-end devices running Android 9 and earlier do not support opening HEIC. WeChat for Windows does not support HEIC preview, and most web upload services also generally do not support this format.
| Platform/Scenario | Compatibility Status |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 1809+ | Requires installation of HEVC extension to open |
| Windows 7 and earlier | No native support, cannot open |
| Android 10+ | Native support for direct opening |
| Android 9 and earlier | Not supported on most devices |
| WeChat Windows client | Cannot preview or send original images |
Applicable Scenarios for Converting to JPG/PNG/WebP
Conversion to JPG is suitable for daily sharing and print archiving. JPG is a cross-platform universal format, supported for native reading by all software and devices. Compressed JPG files are much smaller than all other formats except HEIC, making them ideal for storage and transmission.
Conversion to PNG is suitable for design assets that require transparent backgrounds or have extremely high quality requirements. PNG is a lossless compression format that does not lose image detail during conversion. The disadvantage is that file size is significantly larger than JPG of the same quality.
Conversion to WebP is suitable for web display or social media uploads. WebP has higher compression efficiency than HEIC, and most major browsers already support direct display of WebP. WebP files are approximately 25% smaller than JPG of the same quality.
What Happens to EXIF and Live Photos After Conversion
EXIF data contains photo shooting parameters, location, time, and device information. Reputable HEIC to JPG converters retain all EXIF information completely, and only modify the file encapsulation and encoding format. Some niche conversion tools automatically clear EXIF information to reduce file size.
Live Photos captured by iPhone store both a static HEIC main image and a short video clip. When converting to a common format such as JPG, only the selected static frame is retained, and the video portion is removed. OKfmt's HEIC conversion tool retains the EXIF information of the static main image and removes video data.
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Can iPhones store photos as JPG by default?
iOS 11 and later versions support this setting. Users can go to Settings > Camera > Formats and select "Most Compatible" to store photos as JPG by default. This setting requires more local storage space on the iPhone.
Will converting HEIC cause loss of photo quality?
HEIC to JPG is a transcoding operation that results in minor quality loss. When outputting at a quality setting of 90% or higher, the difference is indistinguishable to the human eye. Converting to PNG format preserves the original image quality.
Why does Windows prompt for a decoder when opening HEIC?
Because HEIC uses HEVC encoding, and Microsoft does not include the HEVC decoder built into the Windows system. Users can install the HEVC Video Extension from the Microsoft Store to get support, or convert HEIC to JPG format to open it.