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Troubleshooting

Print or email HEIC photos: why it fails, and the fix

Printing and emailing fail for the same reason: whatever sits at the far end has to read HEIC, and plenty of print uploaders, Windows PCs and mail apps cannot. The quickest fix is a JPG copy. Convert the photo in your browser, where nothing is uploaded, then print or attach the JPG. From an iPhone you can sometimes skip that step: printing from the Photos app goes straight to an AirPrint printer, and Apple says Mail, AirDrop and Messages might share a more compatible format on their own.

By the heic.fyi teamUpdated 12 min read

Key takeaways

  • Print services publish their own lists. Walgreens says you can upload JPEG, PNG and HEIC; Shutterfly accepts HEIC on its iOS app, website and mobile web but not its Android app; Snapfish and Walmart list JPEG and PNG and do not name HEIC.
  • Apple says that when you share by AirDrop, Messages or email and the receiving device cannot read HEIF, the media might be shared as JPEG automatically. 'Might' is not a promise, so the share sheet's Options > Format > Most Compatible is the setting that asks for it.
  • On Windows, Microsoft says the Photos app shows 'You need an extension to use this file' for HEIF until both the HEIF and HEVC extensions are installed. Converting to JPG avoids that on any PC.
  • Gmail's help documents a 25 MB limit for personal accounts and does not mention HEIC. A JPG is usually bigger than the HEIC it came from, so use HEIC to Target Size when a limit is in KB.
  • HEIC to JPG keeps the date and camera details and leaves out the GPS location unless you switch it on, which is a privacy plus when you send photos to other people.
On this page
  1. The quickest fix
  2. Printing HEIC photos
  3. Emailing HEIC photos
  4. The 'Transfer to Mac or PC' setting, and what it does not do
  5. Convert and send
  6. What does not work
  7. What we could not verify
Printing or emailing a HEIC photo: which route?A five-step decision ladder. Printing from an iPhone at home: choose Print in the Photos share sheet and pick an AirPrint printer on the same Wi-Fi network. Ordering prints online: check the service's own list of file types and convert to JPG if HEIC is not named. Printing from a Windows PC: convert to JPG first, or install the HEIF and HEVC extensions. Emailing from an iPhone: in the share sheet's Options, set Format to Most Compatible. If an email or form has a size limit in kilobytes, use HEIC to Target Size.1Printing from an iPhone at home→ Photos > Share > PrintPick an AirPrint printer on the same Wi-Fi2Ordering prints online→ Check the service's file listConvert to JPG if HEIC is not named3Printing from a Windows PC→ Convert to JPG firstOr install the HEIF and HEVC extensions4Emailing from an iPhone→ Options > Most CompatibleIn the Photos share sheet, then Mail5Over an email or form size limit→ HEIC to Target SizeType the limit in KB; JPG or WebP out
Pick the row that matches what you are doing. Converting a copy to JPG works for every route; the iPhone settings only help when the photo starts on an iPhone.

The quickest fix

  1. 01

    Convert a copy to JPG

    Drop the HEIC into HEIC to JPG (embedded below). It is decoded on your device and nothing is uploaded. Many photos? Use the batch converter, which takes up to 50 files or 500 MB per batch.

  2. 02

    If there is a size limit, aim for it

    A mail server or a form may cap attachments. HEIC to Target Size searches for the highest JPG or WebP quality that fits a KB figure you type. Choose JPG unless the recipient accepts WebP.

  3. 03

    Print or attach the JPG

    Upload it to the print service, print it from your PC, or attach it to the email. JPEG is on every printing and attachment list we read, including those that do not mention HEIC.

  4. 04

    Keep the HEIC

    Converting makes a new file. The original stays as it was, at full quality, for the next time you need it.

Printing HEIC photos

A print job is built from a file that some software has to decode: the print service's uploader, Windows, or the printer itself. If that software cannot read HEIC, the job fails or the photo never shows up in the order. Which software that is depends on how you print, so the answer to 'can you print HEIC photos?' is yes in some routes and no in others.

Ordering prints from an online service

We read each service's own help on 12 October 2026 and report only what it states. Where a page does not mention HEIC, we say 'not named' rather than guess, and a service that does not name HEIC may still accept it.

What seven photo-print services' help pages say about HEICWalgreens Photo's upload FAQ says you can upload JPEG, PNG and HEIC photos. Shutterfly accepts HEIC and HEIF through its iOS app, website and mobile web, converting them to JPG at upload, but not through its Android app. Snapfish's help lists JPG/JPEG and PNG and does not name HEIC. Amazon Photos lists HEIC for storage, while the Amazon Prints page does not name HEIC either way. Walmart Photo's help says you can upload JPEG or PNG and does not name HEIC. We found no format list on the CVS Photo pages we could open, and could not open Costco Photo Center's help.Walgreens PhotoHEIC acceptedUpload FAQ: JPEG, PNG and HEICShutterflyAccepted, not Android appConverted to JPG at upload (iOS, web)SnapfishNot namedLists JPG/JPEG and PNG; others rejectedAmazon PrintsNot named for printsAmazon Photos storage does list HEICWalmart PhotoNot namedHelp says you can upload JPEG or PNGCVS PhotoNot documentedNo format list on pages we could openCostco Photo CenterNot checkedIts help pages would not open for us
A tick means the help names HEIC as accepted; an 'i' means the help does not say. Nothing here is a confirmed rejection, but if a service does not name HEIC, send a JPG.
HEIC and photo printing, from each service's own help pages, read 12 October 2026.
ServiceHEIC?What the help saysOther limits it states
Walgreens PhotoYes'You can upload JPEG, PNG, and HEIC photos to your account' (Photo Upload FAQs)Not supported: TIFF, PSD, AI, PDF, CMYK and WEBP; images over 150 MB or 100 MP; JPEGs must be 8-bit RGB in sRGB
ShutterflyYes, not on Android appAccepts JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, HEIC and HEIF; HEIC and HEIF are 'accepted only via the iOS app, website, and mobile web, where they are converted to JPG at upload'Cannot take TIF/TIFF, GIF, PSD or PDF; says it does not offer a service to convert files
SnapfishNot named'Snapfish supports almost all JPG/JPEG and PNG images'; any other image type is unsupported, with GIF, BMP, TIFF, PSD, AI, PDF and WEBP as examplesOver 150 MB or 100 MP; 8-bit RGB and sRGB only
Amazon PrintsNot named for printsThe Amazon Photos file-requirements page lists HEIC and HEIF among supported photos. The Amazon Prints page lists unsupported types (PNG, GIF, TIFF, PSD, AI, PDF, WEBP) and does not mention HEIC either wayOver 150 MB or 54 MP; RAW files cannot be printed
Walmart PhotoNot named'You can upload JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg) digital photos or PNG (.png) files'Transparent PNG areas turn black
CVS PhotoNot documentedThe CVS Photo help pages we could open list no file formatsNot stated
Costco Photo CenterNot checkedIts help pages did not open for us, so we make no claimNot checked

Services change their rules without notice. If the upload page names allowed formats, that wins over this table. Walgreens' article was last modified on 5 October 2026.

Printing at home

Printing a HEIC from your own devices, and what the vendors document.
FromWhat to doWhat is documented
iPhone or iPadOpen the photo in Photos, tap Share, swipe up to Print, choose an AirPrint printerApple's guide says to swipe up to select Print from the list of actions. The printer and iPhone must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Apple documents no format step, and the job starts from the phone, which can open its own HEIC
Windows 11 or 10Install the HEIF and HEVC extensions so Photos can open it, or print a JPG copy insteadMicrosoft: the Photos app says 'You need an extension to use this file' until HEIF Image Extensions (free) and HEVC Video Extensions ($0.99) are installed, then restart Photos. For a saved picture, Microsoft's Outlook help says to right-click it in File Explorer and choose Print. Microsoft does not document that Print route for HEIC, so test it
MacOpen it in Preview or Photos and print from thereApple says HEIF support is built into macOS High Sierra 10.13 and later. We did not read a Mac printing page, so we add nothing about print dialogs
AndroidPrint from an app that opens it; convert if the print app refuses itWe found no Google page that ties HEIC to printing. Android's HEIF decoding is device optional (see HEIC on Android)

Printer USB ports, memory-card slots and in-store kiosks were not checked: we did not read printer manuals or kiosk help. Test with a JPG copy.

Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025, per Microsoft, with consumer Extended Security Updates available to 12 October 2027. The HEIF and HEVC extension fix above is for the Photos app on both versions; Microsoft's page does not name a Windows version. If you are on Windows 10 and the extensions will not install or HEIC still will not open, HEIF extension installed but not working covers the next checks, and a JPG copy sidesteps all of it.

If you cannot read the HEIC on the PC at all, see why a HEIC file won't open.

When a service rejects a photo that should work

  • Wrong route. Shutterfly accepts HEIC on its iOS app, website and mobile web but not its Android app, so the same photo can succeed on one and fail on another.
  • Too many pixels or bytes. Walgreens and Snapfish state limits of 150 MB and 100 MP per image; Amazon Prints states 54 MP.
  • Colour space. Walgreens, Snapfish and Amazon each say they support only 8-bit RGB JPEGs in sRGB.
  • A cloud photo that has not downloaded. A photo that is still only in iCloud or Google Photos can look present and upload as a placeholder or fail. See HEIC not showing in Gallery.
  • The file is damaged. The health check decodes it locally and tells you.

Emailing HEIC photos

You can attach a HEIC to an email. Whether the recipient can open it is the open question, and the answer differs between the iPhone's own sharing, your mail service and the recipient's device.

What happens to a HEIC photo on its way from an iPhone to an email recipientFour stages. In the Photos share sheet, Options lets you set Format to Automatic, Current or Most Compatible; Most Compatible may convert files to JPEG. Attaching from inside Mail goes through Mail's own Photo Library picker, for which Apple documents no format conversion. Apple says that with other sharing methods, including email, the media might automatically be shared in a more compatible format if the receiving device does not support the newer one. At the other end, a Windows PC needs the HEIF and HEVC extensions, a Mac or iPhone reads HEIC natively, and Android decoding is device optional.1 · PHOTOS SHARE SHEETShare > Options > FormatAutomatic: best format for the destinationCurrent: no conversionMost Compatible: may convert to JPEGThe one place you can choose2 · MAIL'S OWN PICKERAttach from inside MailPhoto Library, then choose the photoApple's page names no conversionFormat not documented3 · THE SENDING SERVICEYour mail serviceGmail documents 25 MB for personalaccounts and does not mention HEICHEIC handling not documented4 · THE RECIPIENTOpens the attachmentMac and iPhone: built inWindows: needs two Store extensionsAndroid: decoding is device optionalFails where no HEIC decoder exists
Only the first stage is a choice you can make. The sending service's handling of HEIC is not documented by Gmail, and Apple does not say what Mail's own attach picker does.

What an iPhone does when you share by email

  • Photos share sheet. Open a photo, tap Share, then Options. Apple's guide describes Format: Automatic for 'the best file format for the destination', Current 'to prevent a file format conversion', or Most Compatible, where 'files may convert to JPEG or MOV'. Choose Most Compatible, then Mail.
  • Attaching from inside Mail. Apple's Mail guide says to tap the attachment button above the keyboard, then Photo Library, and choose the photo. That page says nothing about converting its format, so do not assume it does.
  • The general rule. Apple's HEIF page says that when you share by AirDrop, Messages or email and the receiving device does not support the newer formats, the media 'might automatically be shared in a more compatible format, such as JPEG or H.264'.
  • Microsoft says the same, tentatively. Its Photos help says 'Many devices will automatically convert HEIC photos and HEVC videos to a more common format when transferring or emailing' and suggests emailing the files to yourself, adding that you may need to change the Camera and Photo settings on your phone.
  • Large files. Apple says that if a file exceeds the maximum size your email account allows, Mail's onscreen instructions point to Mail Drop.

So the dependable options are to set Format to Most Compatible for that share, set the camera to Most Compatible so new photos are JPEG, or send a JPG you made yourself. The camera setting is covered in HEIC on iPhone and in our upload guide; it affects new photos only.

What the recipient sees

Opening a HEIC attachment, by recipient.
RecipientWhat the vendors sayFix
iPhone, iPad or MacApple: HEIF and HEVC support is built into iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra and laterNothing to do
Windows PCMicrosoft: Photos shows 'You need an extension to use this file' for HEIF until HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions are installed. Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook insert HEIF only with both, after a restart. Some cameras make HEIC files the codec pack cannot read, and Microsoft suggests converting those to JPEGSend a JPG, or have them install both extensions
Android phoneAndroid Developers: HEIF decoding since Android 9, marked device optional. Whether a given mail app shows the image inline is not documentedSend a JPG. See HEIC on Android
Web browser or webmailCan I use lists Safari 17 and later as the only browsers that display HEIC natively; Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not. How Gmail or Outlook on the web treat a HEIC attachment is not documented in the help pages we readSend a JPG

Checked 12 October 2026. Recipients' mail apps vary; we have not tested them.

Gmail, Outlook and attachment size

Gmail's help says the limit is 25 MB for personal accounts, set by the administrator for work and school accounts, and that Gmail replaces attachments over the limit with a Google Drive link. It does not mention HEIC. We found no Microsoft help page that says how Outlook handles a HEIC attachment on the receiving side beyond the Office extension requirement above.

A converted JPG is normally larger than its HEIC. In our HEIC versus JPEG test of 25 photos, a HEIC matching a JPEG saved at quality 85 used a median 82% of its bytes. If a limit worries you, convert with HEIC to Target Size, which aims at the KB figure you set.

The 'Transfer to Mac or PC' setting, and what it does not do

This setting is often blamed for HEIC files turning up on a PC, so it is worth being exact. Apple's HEIF page says that when you import HEIF media from an attached iPhone into Photos, Image Capture or a PC, 'the media might be converted to JPEG or H.264', and that to stop it you open Settings, tap Apps, tap Photos, then tap Keep Originals. Older forum answers call the same area Transfer to Mac or PC, with Automatic and Keep Originals; that wording comes from a 2018 community thread, not an Apple page.

Convert and send

Try it here

Convert HEIC to JPG here

Drop the photos in and download JPGs. Nothing is uploaded. For many photos use the batch converter; for a KB limit use HEIC to Target Size.

What does not work

  • Renaming .heic to .jpg. It may get past a check that reads only the name, but the contents are still HEIC, so the print order or the recipient's viewer can fail later. Convert instead.
  • Printing a screenshot of the photo. It is limited to screen resolution, so large prints come out soft.
  • Treating 'emailing it to yourself' as a conversion plan. Both Apple and Microsoft say only that the photo might arrive as a more compatible format. Look at the extension on what arrives.
  • Switching the camera to Most Compatible to fix photos you already have. Apple's setting applies to new photos. Convert the existing ones.

What we could not verify

  • File formats for CVS Photo and Costco Photo Center. We found no list on the CVS pages we could open and could not open Costco's.
  • Whether Mail converts a HEIC when you attach it from Mail's own Photo Library picker. Apple's page does not say.
  • How Gmail and Outlook treat a HEIC attachment on the receiving side. Neither help page we read names HEIC for that.
  • Whether Windows' right-click Print route reads a HEIC without the extensions. Microsoft documents the route for pictures in general, not for HEIC.
  • Printer firmware, USB and card-slot support, and in-store kiosks.

Frequently asked questions

Try it yourself

Related reading

Sources

How we research and correct: editorial policy.

Written by the heic.fyi team · Last updated: · Spotted an error? Tell us.