How to open HEIC files on Windows
Why it happens
Windows includes support for the HEIF container but not the HEVC codec that HEIC images use. Without that decoder, the Photos app shows a “you need a new codec” prompt and Explorer cannot generate thumbnails.
Option 1: Microsoft’s extensions
Install “HEIF Image Extensions” (free) and “HEVC Video Extensions” (historically $0.99) from the Microsoft Store. This makes Photos and Explorer work, but it requires Store access — often blocked on managed work laptops.
Option 2: A third-party viewer
Tools like CopyTrans HEIC or IrfanView with plugins can add support. They work, but they are another install, another updater, and another thing to explain to a colleague.
Option 3: Convert in the browser
Drop the files into a browser-based converter and download JPGs. No install, no admin rights, no Store purchase — and if the converter runs locally, the photos never leave the machine. That last part matters for work documents.
Which should you pick?
If you handle iPhone photos weekly on your own PC, install the codecs once. If it is a one-off, or the machine is locked down, convert in the browser and move on.