HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's modern image format introduced with iOS 11. It uses HEVC compression to store photos at roughly half the file size of JPEG while maintaining identical quality. All iPhones since 2017 save photos as HEIC by default.

How do I open a HEIC file on Windows?

Windows does not natively support HEIC files. You need to install the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store, or simply use heicviewer.com to view and convert HEIC files online without installing anything.

Is my data safe? Are files uploaded to a server?

Absolutely safe. All HEIC processing happens entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your files are never uploaded to any server — they stay on your device at all times. You can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it will still work.

Can I convert multiple HEIC or LIVP files at once?

Yes! heicviewer.com supports batch processing for both HEIC and LIVP files. Simply select or drag multiple files at once, and you can preview, adjust quality, and download them all individually or as a ZIP archive.

HEIC & Live Photo Viewer

Open iPhone HEIC photos & Live Photos (LIVP) instantly in your browser. Convert to JPG or PNG with one click. No upload. 100% private. Free forever.

Drop files here

or click to browse — batch upload supported, drag multiple files at once

.heic · .heif · .livp

100% Client-Side Processing

No File Upload — Private & Secure

Works Offline After Page Load

Free Forever — No Limits

Why Choose HEIC Viewer?

Built to be the fastest, most private HEIC & Live Photo viewer on the web.

Instant Preview

See your HEIC and Live Photos immediately without any conversion step. Drag, drop, done.

Live Photo Support

Open and convert .LIVP (Live Photo) files directly. Extract the still image from your Apple Live Photos and save as JPG/PNG.

JPG & PNG Output

Choose between JPEG for smaller files or PNG for lossless quality. Adjustable quality slider.

File Info Display

See original size, dimensions, and converted size before downloading. Know exactly what you're getting.

Paste from Clipboard

Copied a HEIC or Live Photo file? Just press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac) to paste it directly into the viewer.

Lightning Fast

Optimized WASM-based decoder processes HEIC files in milliseconds. No waiting, no server round-trips.

Open Converter

How to View & Convert HEIC & Live Photo Files

Upload Your Files

Drag and drop HEIC, HEIF, or LIVP (Live Photo) files onto the upload area, or click to browse your device. You can also paste files from your clipboard.

Preview & Adjust

View each photo instantly. Choose your output format (JPG or PNG) and adjust the quality level with the slider.

Download

Download individual files or grab everything at once. All processing is done locally — your photos never leave your device.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a HEIC file?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's modern image format, introduced with iOS 11 in 2017. It uses HEVC (H.265) compression to store photos at approximately half the file size of JPEG while maintaining identical visual quality. Every iPhone since the iPhone 7 saves photos as HEIC by default to save storage space.

How do I open HEIC files on Windows?

Windows does not natively support HEIC files. You have a few options: (1) Use heicviewer.com — the fastest way, no installation needed. (2) Install the "HEIF Image Extensions" from the Microsoft Store (costs $0.99). (3) Install the free "CopyTrans HEIC for Windows" plugin for Windows Explorer. For most users, our online viewer is the easiest solution.

Can I convert HEIC to JPG without losing quality?

HEIC is a superior format to JPG — it stores more information in less space. When converting HEIC to JPG, some minimal quality loss is inherent to JPG compression. However, at quality level 92-95%, the difference is imperceptible to the human eye. If you need absolutely lossless conversion, choose PNG output, which preserves every pixel perfectly (though at a larger file size).

Are my photos uploaded to your server?

No. Never. All HEIC processing happens entirely inside your browser using client-side JavaScript and WebAssembly. Your files never leave your device. In fact, after the page finishes loading, you can disconnect from the internet and the tool will continue to work perfectly. This is a core design principle of heicviewer.com — absolute privacy.

Can I view and convert Live Photos (LIVP files)?

Yes! Our viewer fully supports .LIVP (Live Photo) files. Apple Live Photos contain a still HEIC image plus a short video clip. Our viewer extracts and displays the still image from your LIVP files, which you can then convert to JPG or PNG — just like any regular HEIC photo. Simply drag and drop your LIVP files and they'll be processed automatically alongside your HEIC images.

Can I extract the video portion from Live Photos?

Our tool focuses on extracting and converting the still image from LIVP/HEIC Live Photo containers. The short video portion (.MOV) embedded in Live Photos requires different processing. For full video extraction, we recommend using Apple's Photos app on Mac or iOS, which can export both the still and video components of Live Photos. However, for most users who just need to view or share the photo from a Live Photo, our viewer handles that perfectly.

What's the maximum file size supported?

There is no hard limit, but very large HEIC files (50MB+) may take longer to process since everything runs in your browser. For typical iPhone photos (2-8MB), processing is near-instant. If you're working with professional-grade HEIC images, we recommend converting them in smaller batches for optimal performance.

Does it work on mobile devices?

Yes! heicviewer.com is fully responsive and works on iOS Safari, Android Chrome, and all modern mobile browsers. Since iPhones natively capture HEIC, you can convert and share your photos to JPG/PNG directly from your phone's browser — perfect for when you need to upload a photo to a service that doesn't accept HEIC.

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