We've all been there: You snap a great photo on your iPhone and email it to a colleague or family member. A few minutes later, you get a reply: "I can't open this file. What is a .HEIC?"
Why does this happen?
By default, iPhones save photos as HEIC. This is great for your phone's storage (saving up to 50% space), but Windows computers don't always come with the necessary software to open them out of the box.
Option 1 (The Slow Way): Change iPhone Settings
You can tell your iPhone to stop using HEIC altogether:
- Go to Settings > Camera > Formats.
- Select Most Compatible.
Warning: This will make all your future photos take up nearly double the storage space on your phone.
Option 2 (The Fast Way): Convert Before Sending
If you only need to share a few photos, converting them is the best option. You keep the space-saving HEIC format on your phone but send a compatible JPG to your recipient.
Using LocalImageConverter, you can select your photos, convert them to JPG in seconds, and attach the new files to your email. Since our tool works offline in your browser, it's just as fast as doing it natively.