A property services customer reported that several staff members had iPhone photos saved into a shared folder, but Windows 10 and 11 workstations could not open them. The Photos app showed a prompt to buy a video extension from the Microsoft Store, while File Explorer thumbnails were blank. Other staff members on the same shared folder hit the same problem. Here is what we found and how to fix it.
Symptoms
When double-clicking a .HEIC photo from an iPhone (or any iOS device that uses High Efficiency Image File Format), Windows displays one of the following:
To display this file, you need a video extension. Get the latest version from the Microsoft Store.
Or, if the HEIF Image Extensions app is installed but the HEVC codec is missing:
Sorry, Photos can’t open this file because the format is currently unsupported, or the file is corrupted.
File Explorer shows blank thumbnails for HEIC files, and right-click Open with does not list the Photos app as an option. The same files open without issue on macOS, iOS, or directly from iCloud or Dropbox in a browser.
Affected Software
- Application: Windows Photos app, File Explorer thumbnail preview
- Platform: Windows 10 (1903 and later) and Windows 11
- Related Services: Microsoft Store, OneDrive, Dropbox, SharePoint
Cause
HEIC and HEIF are the default photo formats on iPhone since iOS 11. Windows does not include the HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) codec by default because of licensing fees owed to MPEG LA. Two separate extensions are needed for full HEIC support: the HEIF Image Extensions (free, and present on most modern Windows installations) and the HEVC Video Extensions (a paid AUD $1.50 app from Microsoft, or free via the OEM-distributed link). Without the HEVC component, the HEIF extension cannot decode the actual image data inside the HEIC container.
Resolution
- Open the Microsoft Store from the Start menu.
- Search for HEVC Video Extensions. Select the result published by Microsoft Corporation (it costs around AUD $1.50). Install it.
- If you prefer the free OEM version, install HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer (free, but only installs on devices the link approves).
- Search for HEIF Image Extensions in the Microsoft Store. Install it (free) if it is not already present.
- Right-click any .HEIC file in File Explorer and choose Open with > Photos. The image should now display.
- To verify thumbnails return in File Explorer, restart Explorer (Task Manager > Windows Explorer > Restart) or sign out and back in.
For multiple workstations, deploy both extensions silently with PowerShell:
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.HEIFImageExtensionGet-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension
Or push the installations through Intune as Microsoft Store apps (new), targeting the device groups that need them.
Important Notes
- An alternative for users who do not want to install extensions is to change the iPhone setting to capture in JPEG: Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible. New photos will save as JPEG, but existing HEIC files still need the extensions to open on Windows.
- If the Photos app uninstall button is greyed out (a known Windows 11 behaviour), the extensions can still be reset from Settings > Apps > Installed apps > HEIF Image Extensions > Advanced options > Reset.
- HEIC files synced via Dropbox or OneDrive can also be opened in the browser as a workaround while you deploy the extensions.
Related Resources
- Fix: PDF Files Cannot Be Previewed in Outlook or Windows Explorer
- Microsoft Store: HEVC Video Extensions
- Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions
- Apple Support: About HEIF and HEVC media on iPhone
If you need help deploying HEIC support across multiple workstations, get in touch with our team.
