HEIC is a new format for Apple devices when taking photos. JPEG or JPG format has been used for over 25 years for photo storing technology. Now it’s being replaced with HEIC. Apple did not invent it, but they decided to start using it full time on new devices. Why? Well, it does offer a better picture along with a smaller footprint for the stored photo. It takes up less space than JPG files, and offers a higher quality photo. Well, that’s great. But I can’t view them on my PC or MAC? So what good it is?

As with any new ‘format’, you’ll be required to install a new ‘codec’. What is a CODEC? It’s an acronym for a ‘compressor/decompressor code’, which means it’s software to decode the new file format into something you can view on your PC or MAC.

There are a LOT of HEIC converters out there, but what you might want is something that doesn’t only ‘convert’, but ‘adds support’ instead.

CopyTrans has been offering ways to connect your iPhone to PC for years and they have a Windows program that really does an excellent job helping with HEIC files.

https://www.copytrans.net/copytransheic/

It’s free for personal use, but they would like you to buy a license if you plan to use it for your business.

Just remember, if you plan to share your photos with Aunt Bea, you’ll need to convert them to JPG if she doesn’t have a program like CopyTrans HEIC installed. Otherwise, she won’t get to see the picture of little Timmy taking his first trip down the slide at the park.

Sharing HEIC pictures from your phone via TEXT MESSAGING will convert it to something they could see. However, if you attached a HEIC format photo to an email, they may not be able to view it. This happened a lot in the early days when non-Apple users were sent MOV files (Apple QuickTime movie format). Even then, we had to install a CODEC to view those files.

Just like watching a DVD on a Windows 10 computer. In today’s world, it requires a CODEC to do this. We didn’t need this in the Windows 7 days because it was built in. Times change, and we have to keep up!

Install a CODEC or two so you can keep using the videos and pictures you’ve used in the past, as well as the future.