LanguageHEIC
High Efficiency Image Format
File type: Bitmap image file
Files with heic extension are high quality images in High Efficiency Image File Format, a picture image format, developed by Moving Picture Experts Group.
What is heic file?
File type category:
Bitmap image file
Date updated: June 23, 2025
File extension heic is related to the High Efficiency Image File Format, a picture image file format based on HEVC (High Efficiency Video Compression - H.265), developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) in 2013.
The heic file contains:
- Image Items
- Image Derivations
- Image Sequences
- Auxiliary Image Items
- Image Metadata
The HEIC images requires less storage space than JPG images without quality loss.
HEIC (also known as HEIF) format is supported by iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra operating systems.
By default, iOS 11 uses HEIC format as a default format to store digital photos. However users can change HEIC format back to JPG by:
Settings → Camera → Formats and select Most Compatible option
heic MIME types:
image/heic
image/heic-sequence
How to open heic file?
Windows should now recognize HEIC/HEIF format by default.
How to convert heic file?
The .heic files can be exported to other picture image file formats.
Suggested software to open heic file:
Associated software actions with the heic file
Software applications that can open heic files:
Microsoft Paint (Microsoft Windows)
Affinity Photo (Multiplatform)
Software applications that can edit heic files:
Microsoft Paint (Microsoft Windows)
Programs for viewing heic files:
Zoner Photo Studio (Microsoft Windows)
Apple Photos (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Preview (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
XnView MP (Multiplatform)
Software apps that convert heic files:
HEIC Converter (Microsoft Windows)
iMazing HEIC Converter (Multiplatform)
Software apps that import heic files:
CopyTrans HEIC for Windows (Microsoft Windows)
Krita (Multiplatform)
Affinity Photo (Multiplatform)
Software apps that export heic files:
Krita (Multiplatform)
Software apps that print heic files:
Zoner Photo Studio (Microsoft Windows)
Apple Photos (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Preview (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
XnView MP (Multiplatform)
Software applications that handle other tasks involving heic files:
Apple iOS (Apple iOS)