Tips to open HEIC file

Can't open the HEIC file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open HEIC files as well as a list of programs that support HEIC files.

HEIC file extension

File Name High Efficiency Image Format
File Developer Moving Picture Experts Group
File Category Raster Image Files

The HEIC file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the HEIC files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the HEIC file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 5
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 1
  • 0

What is HEIC file?

The .HEIC file and its equivalent .HEIF are modern graphic file formats. They come from Apple systems and were created by the group working on the .MPEG movie format. The creators declare that in relation to the analogous .JPG image, the .HEIC format will have twice as much information, so the image will be of better quality. These files additionally support animations similar to .GIF files. The format was created in 2015.

How to open HEIC file?

The main problem with High Efficiency Image Format is that the HEIC file is incorrectly associated with programs. This is manifested by the fact that HEIC files open in unusual applications or do not have an assigned program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the HEIC file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Zoner Photo Studio

In this case, you should first verify that the Zoner Photo Studio application is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing Zoner Photo Studio into the operating system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file HEIC with Zoner Photo Studio. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open HEIC files.

Step 2. Create association of Zoner Photo Studio with HEIC files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the HEIC file to open in the Zoner Photo Studio application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the Zoner Photo Studio application as the default for handling the HEIC file.

Step 3. Update Zoner Photo Studio to the latest version

If, however, after binding Zoner Photo Studio with High Efficiency Image Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the ZONER, Inc. website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the HEIC file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. The most common file problems are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This suggests truncating the HEIC file contents when downloading or copying. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file HEIC or the program directory. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover HEIC files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the HEIC file. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular HEIC file corruption. You can restore the file from a backup or use Moving Picture Experts Group help.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted HEIC files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. Copying the HEIC file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem usually affects more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes it is necessary to wait a while before referencing the HEIC file again. However, some background programs may block the HEIC file while scanning. If nothing helps, please reset the device.