iphone photos not supported in windows 11

Lokesh Reddy 0 Reputation points
2026-04-03T12:58:51.51+00:00

Imported lot of photos and videos from my iphone 16 to windows 11 laptop. After import is successful, some of the photos are not opening and message shown is 'this file is not supported'. I downloaded hvec extension for both photos and video codecs and restarted laptop but sill the problem persists. Any help to fix this issue?

Windows for home | Other | Music, photos, and video

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  2. SD - IA 179.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-03T13:35:19.6566667+00:00

    Hi,

    To isolate the root cause of the issue, do the pictures open with a freeware like Irfanview?

    https://www.irfanview.com/

    I’m eager to hear back and work together to find a solution.

    Standard 3rd party link disclaimer:

    There may be links to non-Microsoft websites that provide accurate and safe information. Watch out for ads on websites frequently classified as PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). There is no need to buy paid products to fix your computers, as they sometimes do more harm than good.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-04-03T12:59:03.29+00:00

    Some of the imported iPhone photos and videos are likely in HEIF/HEIC (photos) or HEVC (videos) format. When Windows or the Photos app cannot handle these formats correctly, it shows errors like “this file is not supported” or “You need an extension to use this file.”

    Since HEVC/HEIF extensions are already installed and the issue persists, use one of these supported workarounds:

    1. Re‑import or resend with automatic conversion
      • On the iPhone, many apps and transfer methods can automatically convert HEIC/HEVC to more common formats (JPEG/MP4) when exporting.
      • Connect the iPhone to the PC again and copy the photos/videos over; or email the problematic files to an email account and save them on the PC.
      • Note: Camera/Photos settings on the iPhone may need to be changed so that it converts to compatible formats when transferring or emailing. If this does not work, use the next options.
    2. Use OneDrive to convert photos
      • Upload the iPhone photos to OneDrive (from the iPhone or PC).
      • OneDrive can automatically convert HEIF/HEVC photos to a more compatible format when accessed from Windows.
      • After upload, open or download them from OneDrive on the PC.
    3. Confirm the files are actually on the device (not only in iCloud)
      • When importing directly from the iPhone, ensure the photos and videos are stored locally on the device, not only in iCloud. If they exist only in iCloud, import them using iCloud for Windows instead of USB import.
    4. If using Photos/Photos Legacy to view
      • Photos Legacy supports common formats like JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF for photos and MP4, MOV, AVI for videos. If a file does not open even after conversion, verify that it is in one of these supported formats.

    If, after trying re‑import/email and OneDrive conversion, some files still show as unsupported, they may be corrupted from the export and need to be re‑downloaded from the iPhone or iCloud.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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