HEIC File Extension

HEIC file icon

High Efficiency Image Format

What is a HEIC file?

Files with the HEIC extension are specifically tied to High Efficiency Image Format, a Raster Image Files type, and there are 575 files in this category.

HEIC files are supported by Mac OS, Windows and Linux, as well as mobile phones such as Apple iOS. You can view a HEIC file using one of 8 programs, for example Apple Photos, Zoner Photo Studio and XnView.

How to open a HEIC file?

The most common reason why a HEIC file cannot be opened is the absence of required software. To fix this, select a compatible program from the list. Then visit the official developer website via the provided link, download the program, and install it on your system.

Apple Photos, Zoner Photo Studio and XnView stand out as the preferred programs to manage HEIC files effectively. To install the latest version of Zoner Photo Studio on your computer, visit the ZONER website where you can download the version available for all operating systems.

When you finish installing Zoner Photo Studio, the system will automatically launch HEIC files with it.

Make Zoner Photo Studio the default HEIC viewer

Change the default app to open files on Mac

  1. Right click or use Control + Left Click on the desired HEIC file to access a dropdown menu of actions;
  2. Choose "Open in Application" and click "Other";
  3. At the bottom of the window, you will see the "Enable" menu. It is already set to the default option, "Recommended Programs";
  4. Within this menu, select "All Programs" and then search for Zoner Photo Studio. Check the box next to "Always open in app" to make it the default program.

Set default programs for Windows

  1. Start the process by right-clicking on your HEIC file and selecting "Open With". From there, click "Choose another app" to continue;
  2. Inside the popup window, scroll through the list of applications and specifically choose Zoner Photo Studio as the application to associate with your HEIC file;
  3. Check the "Always use this app" checkbox and click "OK".

Finding answers to HEIC file problems

When facing challenges with HEIC files, simple adjustments in your software can often solve the problem. Find helpful troubleshooting guidance below.

How can I confirm if my HEIC file has been damaged?

HEIC raster image files that have become corrupted may display one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Trying to work with the archive in Zoner Photo Studio or other programs causes instability or program crashes;
  • The file does not open correctly or displays error messages;
  • An unexplained increase in the size of the HEIC file;
  • The file operation is accompanied by the display of error messages;

Why does Zoner Photo Studio crash?

Lack of regular software updates can cause Zoner Photo Studio to crash. Make sure you have installed the latest updates for ZONER products.

A computer restart is often the key to solving numerous common problems. That’s why, it is recommended to restart the computer before making any changes to the software settings.

How to repair a corrupted HEIC file?

Start a recovery program, open the damaged HEIC file and then select the "Repair" menu item to start the repair procedure. Please wait patiently for the recovery process to finish as it will automatically repair the damaged raster image files.

Convert files to and from HEIC

If you have trouble working with a HEIC file, try converting it to JPG, JPEG, PNG or similar raster image files.

Be aware that converting a HEIC file may reduce some features, but you can usually revert it to the original format.

Offline software options such as iMazing HEIC Converter and HEIC Converter guarantee lossless conversion of HEIC files.

Convert HEIC to other file formats