Common fix · Photos
Your iPhone photos will not open
By Suprabhat Updated How we write these
2 min read
What you’ll end up with
JPG copies that open anywhere, made without uploading the originals.
If a photo will not open on a PC, is refused by an upload form, or arrives as an unreadable attachment, it is almost certainly a HEIC — the format iPhones have saved photos in by default since iOS 11.
Nothing is wrong with the file. HEIC uses a video codec that needs a paid patent license to decode, and most Windows software does not ship one. Converting to JPG sidesteps the whole problem.
What to do
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Convert the batch to JPG
Drop in as many photos as you like. Your browser already has the decoder — the same one that displays them on your phone — so the conversion is local and the photos are never uploaded.
Convert HEIC to JPG -
Strip the location if they are going out
The conversion carries EXIF across, which includes GPS coordinates for most phone photos. If the pictures are going to a marketplace, a forum or anyone you do not know, remove that first.
Remove metadata -
Stop it happening again, if you want to
On the iPhone: Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible makes the camera save JPG from then on. It roughly doubles the space each photo takes, which is the trade you are making.
Worth knowing
- JPG copies are typically one and a half to two times the size of the HEIC. That is the cost of a format everything can read.
- Depth data, Live Photo video and edit history do not survive the conversion. Keep the originals if any of that matters.
Questions
Can I convert HEIC to JPG on Windows without installing anything?
Yes. HEIC to JPG runs in the browser you already have, with no install, account or upload.
Will converting a batch take long?
Seconds per photo on a laptop. The work happens on your machine, so it is limited by your hardware rather than by an upload queue.
Should I delete the HEIC originals?
Only if you are sure you do not want the extras they carry, like Live Photo video and depth data. The JPG is an export, not a replacement.
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The reasoning behind it
- Guide · Images
What is a HEIC file, and how do you open one?
HEIC is the format iPhones save photos in. What it is, why Windows and Android struggle with it, and the three ways to open or convert one without uploading it. - Format comparison
HEIC vs JPG: which should you use?
HEIC stores iPhone photos in about half the space of JPG with the same quality, which is why Apple uses it. The catch is compatibility: Windows, Android apps and most upload forms still expect JPG, so convert when a photo leaves your Apple devices.