Since iOS 11 the iPhone camera saves photos as HEIC, a container built on the HEVC video codec. It stores the same picture in roughly half the space of a JPG, which is why Apple made it the default. The problem starts the moment the file leaves the Apple ecosystem: Windows needs a paid codec extension, Android gallery apps are hit and miss, and plenty of upload forms, print services and older editors reject the file outright.
How to Open a HEIC File
You have three options. Change the iPhone setting under Settings, Camera, Formats to Most Compatible so future photos are saved as JPG. Install the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store on Windows, which costs money for the matching HEVC extension. Or simply convert the files you already have - which is what this page does, without installing anything and without sending your photos anywhere.
Converting HEIC Without Uploading
Browsers other than Safari cannot read HEIC on their own, so this tool loads a decoder built from libheif the first time you pick a HEIC file. It runs inside your browser, decodes the photo to raw pixels, and re-encodes it as JPG, PNG or WEBP on a canvas. The decoder is only fetched when it is actually needed, so visitors converting ordinary images never pay for it.
Which Format Should You Convert To?
JPG is the right answer for almost every case: it is what upload forms, print shops, messaging apps and Windows expect. Pick PNG if the photo is a screenshot or contains text you need to stay razor sharp, since PNG is lossless. Pick WEBP only if the image is going onto a website, where it keeps files noticeably smaller than JPG.