HEIC in Photoshop and Lightroom
Adobe added HEIC support years ago, but on Windows it still depends on a system codec — which is why the same Creative Cloud version behaves differently on a Mac.
Why Photoshop opens HEIC on a Mac but not on your PC
Adobe does not bundle its own HEIF decoder on Windows. It calls the operating system's imaging APIs, which on Windows means the HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions must be installed. macOS has HEIF support built into the system frameworks, so Photoshop inherits it automatically.
The result is a support question that looks like an Adobe bug and is actually a Windows codec issue. If your colleague on a MacBook opens the same file in the same Photoshop version without trouble, this is why.
- Check that HEIC opens at all
Drag a HEIC into Photoshop. On macOS it opens directly. On Windows, Photoshop relies on the system HEIF and HEVC components, so if the file fails, install those first — details here.
- Batch convert with Image Processor
In Photoshop, go to File → Scripts → Image Processor. Choose your folder of HEIC files, pick a destination, tick Save as JPEG and set quality to 10 or 12. Optionally resize to fit. Run it and the whole folder converts unattended.
- Or import into Lightroom and export
Import the HEIC files as you would any photo. Select all, then File → Export. Set Image Format to JPEG, quality to 85–90, and colour space to sRGB. Save it as a preset and the whole job becomes two clicks next time.
- Edit before converting, not after
Every save of a JPG re-runs a lossy compressor. Do your adjustments on the HEIC, or on a PSD or TIFF intermediate, and export to JPG once at the end.
Colour management, which matters more here than usual
HEIC files from recent iPhones are frequently tagged Display P3, a wider colour space than sRGB. Convert without handling that and saturated colours — sunsets, flowers, bright clothing — can shift noticeably.
- In Photoshop, let the file open in its embedded profile and convert to sRGB only at export, using Edit → Convert to Profile with Relative Colorimetric and black point compensation.
- Lightroom handles this at export time: the colour space dropdown in the Export dialog does a proper conversion, so choose sRGB for anything leaving your machine and Display P3 only when you know the destination reads it.
- Never simply assign sRGB to a P3 file. That tells the software to reinterpret the numbers rather than translate them, and the colours will visibly desaturate.
If your converted photos look duller than they did on the phone, this is almost always the cause. The diagnosis page covers it in full.
What Adobe does not import
A HEIC from a Portrait mode shot contains a depth map alongside the image. Photoshop and Lightroom import the primary image only, so the depth data, and any ability to re-edit the background blur, is left behind. Adjust the blur in the iPhone Photos app before exporting if that matters. Similarly, Live Photos lose their motion component, and burst sequences import as a single frame.
Common questions
- Can Photoshop open HEIC files?
- Yes, in recent versions. On macOS it works directly. On Windows, Photoshop depends on the system HEIF and HEVC components being installed, which is why the same version can fail on a PC and succeed on a Mac.
- How do I batch convert HEIC to JPG in Photoshop?
- Use File, Scripts, Image Processor. Select the source folder, choose Save as JPEG with a quality setting, and optionally resize. It processes the entire folder without further input.
- Why do colours change when I convert HEIC in Lightroom?
- iPhone HEIC files are often tagged Display P3, a wider gamut than sRGB. Converting to sRGB properly translates the colours; assigning sRGB instead reinterprets the numbers and desaturates the image.
- Does Photoshop keep Portrait mode depth data?
- No. Only the primary image is imported. The depth map that enables adjustable background blur stays in the original HEIC, so adjust blur in the Photos app before exporting if you need it.