Installing HEIC and HEVC Codecs on Windows for Free

iPhones and a lot of newer cameras shoot photos and video in HEIC and HEVC by default. Open one of those files on Windows without the right codecs and you'll just get a broken thumbnail or an error from Photos.

Search the Microsoft Store for "HEIC" and you'll find HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions listed for $0.99 each. What most people don't realize is that Microsoft also publishes a free, manufacturer-distributed version of each. It's just not surfaced in search results.

HEIF Image Extensions in the Microsoft Store

To get the free versions, go directly to the app pages instead of searching:

Both install with a single click, no payment screen, and once they're in, Windows Photos and File Explorer thumbnails will preview HEIC images and play HEVC video normally.

This has worked on every Windows 10 and 11 install I've tried it on. If Microsoft ever closes this off, the fallback is a third-party codec pack like K-Lite, but I'd try the official route first since it integrates more cleanly with the built-in apps.

HEIF Image Extensions in the Microsoft Store

To get the free versions, go directly to the app pages instead of searching:

Both install with a single click, no payment screen, and once they're in, Windows Photos and File Explorer thumbnails will preview HEIC images and play HEVC video normally.