Microsoft ships Windows 11 and Windows 10 with a built-in image viewer called Photos. Attempt to open an HEIC file with the Photos app. So for many people viewing HEIC files won’t be mission critical, but if it is for you, be prepared to part with a dollar.
Simply downloading the original HEIC file via is a bit of a hassle because Apple just assumes that Windows users want the JPEG version by default. Just know that adding the ability to open HEIC files to Windows 11 isn’t free, and Apple will automatically convert photos to JPEGs if they’re shared with people outside its ecosystem. Fret not, however, because viewing HEIC files in Windows is fairly painless on Windows 11. IOS, iPadOS, and macOS all ship with the ability to use HEIC files, but Windows users aren’t so lucky Microsoft doesn’t offer a way to open those files by default.
