What is a .HEIC file?
The .HEIC file extension stands for High Efficiency Image Format, which is primarily used to store images. This format is especially popular on iOS devices like iPhones and iPads. When you take a photo with an iPhone or iPad's Camera app, it might save the photo as a .HEIC file. This type of file can include one or several images, and it also stores details about each image, known as metadata.
HEIC files are known for their high-quality image storage capabilities while keeping the file size relatively small. This makes it a great choice for saving storage space on devices. Although the most common file extension is .heic, these files can also appear with a .HEIF extension.
To view or edit .HEIC files, you can use various programs across different platforms:
| Windows | MacOS | iOS | Android | Web | Chrome OS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File Viewer Plus (available from Microsoft Store) | Apple Preview (included with the OS) | Apple Photos (included with the OS) | File Viewer for Android (available from Google Play Store) | Dropbox | HEIC Image Viewer Decoder |
| Adobe Photoshop 2023 | Apple Photos (included with the OS) | iMazing HEIC Converter | Google Photos | Google Drive | Google Photos |
| Adobe Photoshop Elements | Adobe Photoshop 2023 | Adobe Premiere Rush | Google Photos | ||
| Adobe Premiere Rush | Adobe Photoshop Elements | Dropbox | |||
| Microsoft Photos (requires HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions packages, which can be installed from the Microsoft Store) | Gimp | ||||
| XnViewMP | Adobe Premiere Rush | ||||
| Gimp | |||||
| TunesBro HEIC Converter |
These programs allow you to open, view, and sometimes edit .HEIC files. If you're using a platform or device that doesn't natively support .HEIC files, you might need to install additional software or extensions, like the HEIF Image Extensions for Windows, to handle these files.
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Our goal is to help people find the most up-to-date information about file extensions for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. We researched over 10,000 file extensions and their respective programs that open those files. If you want to suggest edits or updates about .HEIC file formats, example files, or programs that are compatible. Please contact us.
