10 Best HEIC Viewers on Windows and Mac

Question: "After transferring my iPhone files to my computer, many pictures are not open since they are in HEIC format. Is there any HEIC viewer?"

Like this, multiple queries about viewing HEIC images are common in discussion forums due to its compatibility issue. Adopted by Apple since iOS 11, HEIC is now complatible with latest Apple devices. But when it comes to old MacOS and Windows platforms, it is challenging to view or access HEIC files. That's where you need a HEIC file viewer.

If you are looking for the best HEIC image viewers, worry not! This list brings many options to you.

2 Best Online HEIC Viewers on Any Devices

Many HEIC picture viewers are available with cross-platform support, i.e., suitable for Windows, Android, Mac, and iPhone devices. Here are the top ones to try.

1. Google Photos

If you are wondering how to view HEIC photos on any device or platform, Google Photos allows that benefit. You can use this cloud-based platform to back up images from your iPhone and access them through any device for viewing. Plus, it works as a HEIC to JPG converter.

Pros:

• View HEIC pictures on desktops with no need for conversion.
• Access the file for viewing on any phone.
• Convert HEIC photos when downloading.
• Store various files on the cloud.

Cons:

• Impossible to access files in low network areas.
• Can only HEIC photos one by one.
• Limited free storage space.

2. Dropbox

Dropbox works as a high-quality HEIC file reader, accessible on different device types. For example, you can upload the HEIC photos from your iPhone and then access and view them on other platforms like Mac or Windows.

Furthermore, users can easily download the HEIC images into JPG format since it supports that conversion.

Pros:

• View HEIC on any desktop or mobile device.
• Easily convert HEIC pictures to JPG format.

Cons:

• Convert one HEIC photo at a time.
• 2 GB of free storage space.

4 Best Free HEIC Viewer on Windows 10

Some software is available for Windows users if you are looking for a high-quality HEIC viewer on Windows 10. Here are the best four picks.

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1. Microsoft Photos App

Microsoft Photos is the default photo management app on Windows 10/11. It allows you to view and edit HEIC photos once you install the HEIF Image Extensions. You need to pay $0.99 for the extensions.

In addition, you can try the multi-view mode to access pictures in a filmstrip manner.

Pros:

• View and edit HEIC pictures.
• View HEIC images in full-screen and thumbnail mode.

Cons:

• App crashes are sometimes possible.
• Extensions are installed first.

2. XnView

XnView is free of charge and can open and edit different image formats, including HEIC, camera RAW, OpenEXR, DNG, and more. And unlike Microsoft Photos, XnView supports nearly all Windows versions.

Pros:

• Support various formats: HEIC, camera RAW, OpenEXR, DNG, PNG, and more.
• View and resize HEIC images easily.
• Zoom the pictures without affecting the quality.

Cons:

• Only available for Windows users.
• Only support basic editing.

3. HEIF Utility

Windows users can work with this PC-based HEIC player to view images in different formats and even do small-scale edits. The tool's interface is simple to navigate, and you can choose from different types of viewing modes.

Pros:

• Flip, rotate, cut, etc., the HEIC pictures through this HEIC image viewer for Windows 10.
• Several viewing modes are available.
• Easily see the HEIC pictures in thumbnail form.

Cons:

• Outdated nterface.
• Haven't been updated for a long time.

4. Apowersoft Photo Viewer

Apowersoft's Photo Viewer software is a capable HEIC viewer for Windows 10 and other devices that support different formats, like HEIC, BMP, PNG, and JPG. You can easily access the images on the platform and process batch-wise conversions and edits.

Pros:

• Support viewing photos in different formats like HEIC.
• Batch processing supported.

Cons:

• No dynamic photo editing functions are available.

4 Best HEIC File Viewer on Mac

The following are the top Mac-based software choices to view HEIC files.

1. Photos App

This application is available directly on Mac devices that Apple users can access to see their organized images in the photo library. Furthermore, intelligent albums are available with AI support, like face recognition-based image collections, theme-based photo grouping, etc.

It supports many image formats, including iOS-oriented HEIC images, and allows in-built editing work.

Pros:

• Add pre-set filters and customizations, like overlay, white balance, etc., while viewing images.
• Free 5 GB storage space to keep and view multiple HEIC images.
• Easily sync and share across devices/platforms easily.

Cons:

• It is mainly for macOS or iOS users to operate.
• Only available for HEIC viewing on macOS 10.13 or above.

2. Preview App

This HEIC photo viewer is an in-built app on Mac devices that users can utilize for viewing images and PDFs. One has to right-click on top of a file and choose Preview for a full-screen view, even for HEIC photos. The editing functions available are standard-level for cropping or rotating the file.

Pros:

• Support various file formats, including HEIC, OpenEXR, PNG, PDF, JPEG-2000, JPEG, and TIFF.
• No separate installation is necessary.
• Edit pictures in the app after you open them fully to view.
• Convert HEIC photos.

Cons:

• You cannot zoom images easily.
• Not easy to convert multiple HEIC photos.
• Can't view HEIC photos on macOS before 10.13.

3. Phiewer

This HEIC image viewer is a fast tool for viewing images on fullscreen and quickly editing available files. You can use the toggle function to navigate and the play/pause videos. The app supports many file formats and allows users to view them in slideshow format.

Pros:

• View images easily in slideshow mode.
• Use this as a HEIC image viewer decoder to know EXIF data information.

Cons:

• Limited modern filters and features are available.
• Need to upgrade to a costlier version for more advanced tools.
• Available both on outdated and new macOS.

4. Pixelmator

Pixelmator is useful for enhancing, editing, and organizing photos smoothly, including options like HEIC images.

Plus, it is powered with AI functions and allows users to remove the background during editing work. Users can easily add elements like text and even share the files with other users besides enhancing photo quality.

Pros:

• View full-screen images and edit them with pre-set tools.
• Drag layered files like PXM, PXD, SVG, and PSD and drop them into a document for viewing on other devices.
• Convert HEIC files into PNG pictures, so it is viewable on different operating systems.

Cons:

• Only compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina and newer models.
• This is a paid app.

Bonus: Batch Convert HEIC to JPG with Best Tool

To view HEIC files on Windows, most of these software types are helpful, but not all of them allow HEIC converter. For this, you can try MobileTrans instead.

The software is famous as a data transfer to transfer data between different devices. Besides moving iPhone-based HEIC images to other devices, you can also use the HEIC Converter tool to convert HEIC to JPG. The process requires short steps and allows users to convert in batches of 100 files simultaneously.

MobileTrans - HEIC Converter

Convert HEIC Photos to JPG Format With a Few Clicks!

• • Access your HEIC photographs anywhere by converting them to the JPG format.
• • Convert multiple HEIC photos into JPG format simultaneously.
• • It comes with a user interface that is simple and easy to navigate.
• • Free to use.

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How to convert HEIC to JPG with MobileTrans?

Step 1: Launch the MobileTrans software on Windows.

Step 2: Click on More > Select the HEIC Converter tab.

Step 3: Click the Add Files icon to choose your HEIC photos from the device. You can also drag it and drop the file into the editor.

Step 4: Click on the Convert option and choose the photo-saving location. Press the OK button.

So, if you are looking for the best and easiest tool to convert your HEIC images, MobileTrans is definitely worth a try!

Wrapping Up

Many software options are available, either with cross-platform support like Google Photos or native software types like Microsoft Photos App (Windows) and Preview App (Mac). Furthermore, download and use a capable software like MobileTrans to convert it into JPG for multi-device/platform sharing.

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Axel Nash

staff Editor