How to open HEIC photos on Android

Photos from iPhone

HEIC is the format iPhone photos are taken in. When someone sends them as files, not every Android app can show them. The free XanderFiles app opens HEIC photos with the correct rotation and shows the photo details.

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What is this file

HEIC (HEIF) stores photos at about half the size of JPEG with the same quality. When an iPhone owner sends originals — as files, via cloud or in an archive — you get HEIC files.

How to open it

Install XanderFiles from Google Play. It is free, with no ads and no sign-up.
Tap the .heic file wherever you have it: in Downloads, in Telegram, in an email attachment or in an archive.
When Android asks which app to use, choose XanderFiles. Or the other way round: open XanderFiles, tap “Open file” and pick the file in Downloads or Google Drive.
The photo opens; zoom in with a pinch and see the photo details: camera, date, exposure, location.

What you can do

View HEIC and HEIF with the correct rotation
Photo details (EXIF): camera, date, settings, GPS
Also camera RAW (DNG, CR3, NEF, ARW), AVIF, JPEG XL, PSD, TIFF

Good to know

Android 9 or newer is needed: Android itself decodes HEIC.
XanderFiles cannot save HEIC as JPG yet.

Questions

Why do iPhone photos not open on my phone?

They are HEIC files, which not every gallery or messenger understands. XanderFiles opens them on Android 9 and newer.

Can I see where the photo was taken?

If the photo has GPS data, XanderFiles shows it in the photo details.

Is it free?

Yes. No ads, no sign-up, and your photos never leave the phone.

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Other formats

Get it on Google Play

Free · no ads · no sign-up · offline