X HEIC Codec 1.1.16 build 4

iPhone photos are saved as HEIC files, and on many Windows PCs they show up as blank icons that will not open.

X HEIC Codec fixes that in one small install, with no Microsoft Store and no paid add-on.

Download X HEIC Codec 1.1.16 - free, 2.9 MB, for Windows 10 and 11.

What it does

Once installed, HEIC and HEIF photos show proper thumbnails in File Explorer. They also open in Paint, Windows Photo Viewer, IrfanView and any other program that uses Windows' built-in image system, known as WIC.

It carries its own decoder, built on the open-source libheif and libde265 libraries. That is why it does not need Microsoft's HEVC extension, and why it works on PCs where the Store is blocked.

Our guide on why iPhone photos will not open on Windows explains the problem in more detail.

What it does not do

• No converting. It lets Windows read HEIC files; it does not turn them into JPGs. Your photos stay at their original size and quality.
• No HEVC video. Videos recorded on an iPhone still need an HEVC video decoder in Microsoft's apps.
• No effect on apps with their own engine. Browsers and editors such as GIMP read images their own way and are not changed.

How it compares

Microsoft's own route needs two Store apps: the free HEIF Image Extensions, plus either the paid HEVC Video Extension or the free device manufacturer version.

That works well if the Store is available. If it is blocked, as on many work PCs, or the free HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer will not install, X HEIC Codec is the simpler path.

WIC for HEIC and CopyTrans HEIC are other free codecs that do a similar job.

If you really do want JPG copies to share, iMazing Converter converts in bulk. Bear in mind JPGs are roughly twice the size for the same quality.

Installing it

Run the setup file and approve the administrator prompt. It picks the right build for your PC automatically, whether that is 64-bit Intel or AMD, ARM64 such as Snapdragon laptops, or 32-bit Windows 10.

If your PC already shows HEIC thumbnails, setup leaves things alone. If old blank icons are cached, it asks for a restart and never restarts by itself.

The installer is not code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen may warn you. The download page lists its SHA-256 checksum if you want to verify the file.

For IT teams

It installs silently with X-HEIC-Codec_Setup.exe /S /log=C:\Logs\heic.log and returns 0 when done, or 3010 when a restart is needed. It is free for commercial use, with no trial, ads or account.

X HEIC Codec is also part of the X Image Codecs bundle, alongside JPEG XL support.

Other image formats

For other modern formats, the JPEG XL Image Extension and WebP Image Extensions add thumbnails the same way.

Not sure what a file is? X Codec Inspector tells you. Developers can work with HEIF files directly through libheif.

Quick questions

For more ways to open these files, see our guide on how to open and view HEIF images.

Download X HEIC Codec 1.1.16 and see your iPhone photos properly, or tell us how it went.