Free HEIC Viewer for Windows, macOS and Linux

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Coding, .heic) is the default photo format on iPhones since iOS 11 (2017), based on the HEIF container standardized as ISO/IEC 23008-12 (finalized by MPEG in 2015, published 2017). XnView MP reads and writes HEIC and HEIF files natively on Windows, macOS and Linux, with no plugin needed in most cases. Use XnConvert to batch-convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPEG, PNG or TIFF.

XnView HEIC support at a glance

How to open HEIC files on Windows 11 and 10

Windows does not display .heic photos out of the box. The Photos app asks you to install the HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store, which is a paid add-on, and even then support stays limited to basic viewing.

XnView needs none of that. HEIC and HEIF decoding is built into XnView MP, so a fresh install opens iPhone photos immediately on Windows 11 and Windows 10 — free for private use, with no store purchase, no codec pack and no subscription.

Ways to open HEIC on Windows, compared:

Microsoft Photos + HEVC extensionOnline convertersXnView MP
CostPaid Store add-onFree, with limitsFree for private use
PrivacyLocalPhotos uploaded to a serverLocal — nothing leaves your PC
Batch—A few files at a timeThousands in one pass
Also on macOS / Linux—Browser onlyYes, natively
  1. Download XnView MP and install it, or unpack the portable ZIP.
  2. Drag your .heic files onto the XnView MP window, or use File > Open.
  3. To make it permanent, right-click a .heic file, choose Open with > Choose another app, select XnView MP, then click Always (Windows 11) or tick Always use this app (Windows 10).

The same applies on macOS and Linux, where XnView MP reads HEIC natively as well. It also works as a HEIC reader for photos copied from an iPhone, an iPad or a recent Android phone.

About the HEIC / HEIF format

HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) is a container format standardized by the Moving Picture Experts Group as ISO/IEC 23008-12 (finalized by MPEG in 2015, published 2017). HEIC is the HEIF variant that uses the HEVC (H.265) codec to compress still images. Apple adopted HEIC as the default photo format on iPhone with iOS 11 (2017), which roughly halves the file size compared to JPEG at equivalent visual quality. The HEIF container also supports multi-image files (image sequences, bursts, Live Photos), depth maps, alpha channels and HDR.

Key characteristics of HEIC / HEIF

How to view and convert HEIC files with XnView

Open a .heic file

Launch XnView MP, then File > Open and select the HEIC file, or drag the file onto the XnView MP window. The image displays immediately with pan, zoom and fullscreen controls.

Convert HEIC to JPG (JPEG), PNG, TIFF or WebP

In XnView MP: File > Save as, then pick the output format. For converting many iPhone HEIC photos in one pass, open XnConvert, drag the files in, choose the output format in the Output tab and click Convert. XnConvert preserves EXIF metadata (date, GPS, camera) by default.

Export images to HEIC

XnView MP and XnConvert can save images as HEIC. In XnView MP: File > Save as > HEIC, with a quality slider. In XnConvert, add a Format step with HEIC selected to batch-export a whole folder — useful for archiving large libraries with significant size savings vs JPEG at equivalent visual quality.

Edit or remove HEIC metadata

Use Metadata > Edit IPTC or Metadata > Edit XMP in XnView MP to update captions, keywords or copyright. Metadata > Clean Metadata removes EXIF, IPTC, XMP or thumbnails on demand. Both actions are available as steps in XnConvert for batch processing.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free HEIC viewer for Windows 11 and 10?

Yes. XnView MP is a free HEIC viewer for Windows 11 and Windows 10. Unlike the Windows Photos app, it does not require the paid HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store — HEIC decoding is built in. XnView is free for private, educational and non-profit use.

Why can’t Windows open my .heic files?

Windows 11 and 10 ship without the HEVC codec needed to decode HEIC, so the Photos app prompts you to buy the HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store. Installing XnView MP avoids that purchase entirely, since it decodes HEIC on its own.

Can XnView open HEIC files without installation?

Yes. XnView MP is also distributed as a portable ZIP archive. Unpack it to a folder or a USB stick and open .heic photos straight away, with no installation and no administrator rights.

Does XnView MP support HEIC and HEIF natively?

Yes. XnView MP reads and writes HEIC and HEIF (.heic, .heif) files natively on Windows, macOS and Linux, with no plugin or external codec required in most cases.

Can XnView write or export to HEIC?

Yes. XnView MP can save and export images as HEIC. XnConvert can also batch-export images to HEIC. To convert iPhone HEIC photos to a more portable format like JPEG or PNG, use File > Save as or XnConvert.

How do I batch convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPEG?

Open XnConvert, drag your HEIC files in, choose JPEG (or PNG, TIFF, WebP) in the Output tab and click Convert. XnConvert processes hundreds of HEIC files in one pass, preserving EXIF metadata if desired.

Does XnView preserve EXIF metadata when converting HEIC?

Yes. XnView MP and XnConvert read the EXIF, IPTC and XMP metadata embedded in HEIC files (date, GPS, camera model, etc.) and can carry it over to the converted JPEG, PNG or TIFF if metadata preservation is enabled in the conversion options.

Why are my iPhone photos in HEIC format?

Since iOS 11 (2017), iPhones save photos as HEIC by default to halve the file size compared to JPEG at equivalent visual quality. You can switch back to JPEG in iPhone Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible, or just keep the HEIC files and open them directly with XnView MP.