The short answer
A HEIC file is a photo saved in Apple's High Efficiency Image format. Since iOS 11, iPhones and iPads have saved pictures this way by default. The point of the format is size. A HEIC photo looks about the same as a JPG but takes roughly half the storage, which adds up fast on a phone full of pictures.
The catch is that Windows and many older apps do not recognize HEIC out of the box, which is why a photo from an iPhone sometimes will not open on a friend's PC.
How to open a HEIC file
- On a Mac. Preview and Photos open HEIC natively. Nothing to install.
- On Windows. Install the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store, then Photos opens HEIC like any other image.
- In a browser. A free online HEIC viewer will display it without any install.
How to convert HEIC to JPG
If you just want a normal JPG that opens everywhere:
- On the iPhone, open Settings, Camera, Formats, and choose Most Compatible. New photos save as JPG.
- For photos you already have, open one in Preview or Photos on a computer and export or save it as JPG.
- Sharing a HEIC through some apps also converts it to JPG automatically.
How to share a HEIC file
Rather than worry about whether the other person can open HEIC, send a link.
- Upload the HEIC photo to Snapy.
- Copy the link.
- Share it. The link opens on any device, and offers the photo for download. A HEIC is not drawn in the browser itself, so convert to JPG first if you want it to appear on screen.
Upload a file to share a photo as a link, or learn how to turn an image into a link.
Send a HEIC photo without an attachment
HEIC is the catch with iPhone photos. Many people on Windows or older apps cannot open the format, and email attachments often get blocked or simply will not open on someone else's phone. A link sidesteps all of that.
Snapy gives you a public link to the photo you upload. Drop the HEIC file in the box on the home page, optionally pick a custom name like photo.snapy.page, click Get my link, and share the link.
Be clear about what that link does, because it is the one thing worth knowing here: no browser renders HEIC, so the page offers the file for download rather than showing the photo. The link solves the attachment problem, because nothing bounces and nothing is recompressed. It does not solve the format problem. If the point is that the other person simply sees the photo, export it as JPG first and share that.
If the recipient still needs a plain JPG, export or convert it first with your usual tool, then upload that version. Snapy hosts the file and hands back a link, it does not change the format for you.
Drop your HEIC file and get a link. For more options, see how to share a file.