HEIC Photos on WhatsApp: Why They Won't Open and How to Fix It
Someone sends you photos from an iPhone on WhatsApp and you get a .heic file your computer won't open, or a grey icon instead of the picture. Or the other way round: you send them and people say they can't see them. It almost always comes down to the same cause, and it takes a minute to fix, whichever side you're on.
The cause: photo or document
iPhones have saved photos as HEIC by default since iOS 11. When you send them on WhatsApp as a regular photo (from the gallery inside the chat), WhatsApp normally recompresses them and the recipient gets an image their phone opens without trouble.
The problem shows up when they're sent as a document, the option many people use precisely to avoid losing quality. That way WhatsApp sends the original file untouched, with its .heic extension, and whoever receives it needs something that can open HEIC.
| How it was sent | What they receive | Will it open? |
|---|---|---|
| As a photo | Recompressed image | Yes, on almost any phone |
| As an HD photo | Higher-resolution image | Yes, slightly larger |
| As a document | The original .heic | Only if their device opens HEIC |
Where it usually fails
- WhatsApp Web or the desktop app on Windows: you download the document and Windows won't open it, because it doesn't support HEIC out of the box.
- Older Android phones: some don't recognise the format and show the file without a preview.
- Printing or uploading to a website: many print shops and online forms only accept JPG or PNG.
Macs and iPhones are rarely a problem: both open HEIC without installing anything.
If you received them
You have two options:
- Convert them to JPG. Save the .heic files from the chat to your computer and drop them into the HEIC to JPG converter. You can add them all at once and download them as a ZIP. It runs in your browser: the photos are never uploaded to a server, which matters when they're personal pictures.
- Make Windows open them. If you get them often, install Microsoft's HEIF and HEVC extensions. I walk through it step by step in how to open HEIC files on Windows 11.
Convert them all to JPG at once, free and without uploading them anywhere.
Convert HEIC to JPG
If you're sending them from an iPhone
The simplest way to avoid the problem is to send them as photos, not documents. If quality matters, use the HD option that appears when you pick the photo in the chat: the other person gets more resolution and can open it with no issues.
If someone asks for the original file, or you're sending lots of photos as documents, you have two options:
- Make your iPhone shoot JPG from now on: Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible. Photos will take up more space, roughly twice as much at the same quality (I compare them in HEIC vs JPG file size). Existing photos stay as they are.
- Convert only the ones you're sending, and keep saving space on your phone with HEIC for everything else.
A privacy note
Sending as a document shares the complete file, including its EXIF metadata: the date, the phone model and, if it was turned on, the GPS location where the photo was taken. Think twice before sending it to a group or to someone you don't know. Converting with our tool strips that metadata.
Frequently asked questions
Why am I getting .heic photos on WhatsApp?
Because they were sent to you as a document from an iPhone. That way WhatsApp sends the original file, and iPhones save photos in HEIC format by default.
How do I open a WhatsApp HEIC photo on my computer?
Convert it to JPG with an online converter, or install Microsoft's HEIF and HEVC extensions on Windows. On a Mac it opens directly.
Does WhatsApp convert HEIC to JPG?
When sent as a regular photo, WhatsApp normally recompresses it and the recipient can view it without problems. As a document it leaves the file alone: the original .heic arrives.
How do I send photos on WhatsApp without losing quality so they still open?
Send them as photos with the HD option. If you need the original file, convert it to JPG first and send it as a document.
How do I stop my iPhone taking photos in HEIC?
Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose "Most Compatible". From then on photos are saved as JPG, although they take up more space.
Sources
- Apple: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices.
- WhatsApp: Help Center (sending photos and documents).
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