If you use Windows 11, you may have noticed that you cannot open HEIC or HEVC media files by default. Windows does not ship with an app that supports the file types by default.
While it is possible that the manufacturer of a PC adds support for these file types, there is a good chance that the files won’t open by default on your devices.
Thankfully though, there is an easy solution. One that does not require that you download a full-blown codec package to your system.
The details:
- Both codecs are available on the Microsoft Store free of charge.
- When you search for them, you may not get them.
Some third-party apps may support the media file types out of the box. Any app that relies on the codecs that Windows provides needs the Extensions that Microsoft provides or a codec from a third-party source.
Here are the steps that you need to undertake to install the required codecs to open the files on your Windows 11 PCs:
- Open the HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer Microsoft Store page.
- Click on the install button.
- Select “Open Microsoft Store” when the popup appears.
- Click the Install button to install the codec on the system.
- Open the HEIF Image Extensions Microsoft Store page.
- Click on the install button.
- Select “Open Microsoft Store” when the popup appears.
- Activate the install option on the page to install the codec on the system.
You should now be able to play the media files on your system.
Note: Default Windows apps like the Photos app and also third-party solutions such as Paint.Net will load the files from that moment on. File Explorer will also show previews of the media files, if you select one of the thumbnail view modes.
The extensions install like any other app, which means that you can remove them from Settings > Apps > Installed Apps at any time. Third-party tools like the excellent O&O AppBuster work as well.
Have you encountered HEVC or HEIF files before? What did you do to load them on your devices? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
Sorry if this is double comment. Just use VLC and IrfanView with Plugins to view 99.9% of any media file available since the beginning of Computer Era. Unless you need to edit the file itself on some basic software, there is no point in Microsoft extensions.
Personally, I would not be able to download those extensions even if I wanted to. I blocked everything Microsoft by multiple utilities and methods. Now I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of those locks.
Why would you do this?
Windows does not play videos so I assume your talking about an ‘app” that comes with it by default. What was it, “Movies and TV” ?
As with all M.$ apps these days it’s main purpose is to collect data and send it to M.$.
I removed it along with the rest of the bloatware before plugging the cat6 cable in.
Just get VLC and be done with it. I’ve never seen a video file it wouldn’t play.
Third-party apps may also rely on this. Paint.net, for example, does.
This doesn’t work on Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise.