You copied some photos from your iPhone to your computer, and Windows either shows a black square or flat-out refuses to open a file with the .heic extension. Nothing is broken here — older versions of Windows simply don't support the HEIC format out of the box. Below are four ways to open these photos, starting with the fastest and moving to more permanent fixes.
Why this happens
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the format iPhones and iPads have used to save photos since iOS 11. It compresses images about twice as efficiently as classic JPEG at comparable quality, so photos take up less storage. The catch is compatibility: Windows 10 before certain updates, along with plenty of software (older versions of Photoshop, various editors, websites), simply doesn't understand HEIC.
Method 1: Convert to JPG online (fastest)
The simplest option if you just need to open one or two photos right now: convert HEIC to JPG, a format that opens everywhere. You can do this directly in your browser, no software installation required, using our HEIC to JPG converter. Upload the file, download the resulting JPG, and open it in any program. Files are processed and deleted right away — nothing stays on the server.
This is the best choice when you only have a handful of photos and don't want to install codecs or apps.
Method 2: Install HEIF codecs from Microsoft Store
To let Windows open HEIC files natively in the Photos app, you need two extensions from Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions. The first is usually free; the second is sometimes paid (a small one-time fee). Once installed, double-clicking a .heic file opens it just like any other image.
The downside is that these extensions occasionally conflict with Windows updates, and the HEVC codec isn't always free.