# Open and view HEIC files

> Sometimes you do not want to convert anything — you just want to see what is in the file somebody emailed you. Drop it here and it appears, with its dimensions and file details.

Source: https://jpg-heic.com/heic-viewer | Section: Converter | Updated: 2026-08-31

## Why HEIC will not open on your computer

The container is not the problem — Windows 11 and most Linux desktops can parse a HEIF file perfectly
 well. The problem is the HEVC-compressed image inside it. HEVC decoding is patent-licensed, and
 Microsoft's answer was to move the codec into a separate Store package that historically cost
 £0.79/$0.99. Many Linux distributions leave it out of default installs for the same licensing reason.

This viewer sidesteps all of that. It uses a WebAssembly build of libheif that runs inside the page,
 so your operating system never needs to understand the format at all. Your files are read locally and
 never sent anywhere.

## What this fixes, by platform

 - **Windows 10 and 11** — opens HEIC without buying HEVC Video Extensions.
 [If you want the permanent fix instead, read this.](https://jpg-heic.com/fix/heic-codec-missing-windows)

 - **Android** — most phones handle HEIC in the gallery now, but files arriving through email or
 a messaging app often will not open. This does.

 - **Chromebook** — ChromeOS support has improved but remains inconsistent for files from other
 devices.

 - **Linux** — depends entirely on whether your distribution shipped libheif and the HEVC decoder.
 Many do not.

 - **Older macOS** — anything before High Sierra has no HEIC support at all.

## What the viewer shows you

For each file you get a preview, the pixel dimensions, the file size and the container type. That is
 usually enough to answer the question people actually have: is this the photo I was expecting, and is
 it big enough to print or use? If you need the shutter speed, lens, GPS coordinates or capture time,
 the [metadata viewer](https://jpg-heic.com/heic-metadata-viewer) reads those out instead.

 **Want to keep the file?** Every previewed image gets a Save button that writes a JPG copy at
 high quality. That copy opens in absolutely anything, so it is a reasonable way to make one awkward
 file permanently usable without changing any system settings.

## Files this viewer cannot open

Three cases fail predictably. **Burst sequences** — a HEIC holding dozens of frames may only show
 the primary image or refuse outright. **Depth and portrait data** — the auxiliary depth map is
 ignored, so you see the photo without its blur information. **Vendor extensions** — a few camera
 manufacturers write non-standard boxes into the container that the open-source decoder skips.
 In every one of those cases the file is not damaged; it just needs the software from the device that
 made it. If a file fails and none of those apply,
 [this page walks through diagnosing it](https://jpg-heic.com/fix/heic-file-corrupted).

## Frequently asked questions

**Do I need to install anything to view HEIC files?**

No. The decoder is loaded as WebAssembly by this page and runs inside your browser tab. Your operating system does not need a HEVC codec, and nothing is installed on your machine.

**Are the files I view uploaded to a server?**

No. The file is read from your disk by the browser and decoded locally. You can verify this by opening your browser's network tools while you view a file, or by disconnecting from the internet after the page has loaded.

**Can I view HEIC files on my phone?**

Yes. On iPhone they already open natively. On Android, this page opens files that the gallery app refuses, particularly ones received as email attachments or through messaging apps.

**Why does my HEIC show only one photo when it was a burst?**

A HEIC container can hold many images, but browser decoders typically extract only the primary one. To get every frame from a burst you need the software on the device that captured it.