Microsoft has made viewing much easier than in the Windows 7 days, but it still requires a manual setup. The ecosystem is fragmented: Apple pushes HEIC for efficiency, Microsoft pushes JPEG for compatibility.

If you rarely deal with HEIC files, convert them once.

When handling HEIC files, users should be aware that HEIC is a container format.

To actually view the images, Windows also requires the HEVC Video Extensions codec. While the HEIF extension is free, the HEVC codec often costs $0.99 in the Microsoft Store.

: Click "Get" or "Install." Once it's done, your Photos app will immediately recognize HEIC files.