Is CopyTrans HEIC for Windows completely safe and free?

SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY 4 min read• Updated 2024-11-29Graph v5.2.0

What Programs Open HEIC Files? Verified Software Directory

A curated, verified list of free, open-source, and commercial desktop applications that can open, view, edit, and export Apple HEIC photos on Windows 11, Windows 10, macOS, and Linux.

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Sarah JenkinsM.Sc., Systems

Data Architect & IANA Standards Specialist

Audited September 2026

Peer-Reviewed by Elena Rostova (M.Sc., Signal Processing)

Guide Table of Contents

Best Free Software for Windows Users

Windows does not bundle HEVC decoding by default, but several outstanding free tools enable seamless HEIC viewing:

CopyTrans HEIC for Windows: Free for personal use. Adds native shell thumbnail integration to Windows File Explorer so you can view HEIC thumbnails and open photos in Windows Photo Viewer.
IrfanView (with Plugins): Extremely lightweight viewer capable of viewing and batch converting HEIC files at blistering speed.
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program): Free open-source photo editor with full support for 16-bit HEIC layer importing and export.
AnyFileX Web Viewer: In-browser decoder requiring zero software installation.

Native Software on Apple Mac & iOS

Every Mac running macOS High Sierra (10.13) or newer natively supports HEIC in core operating system tools:

Apple Preview: Built-in default viewer. Supports cropping, rotating, color adjustment, and exporting to PNG/JPG/PDF.
Apple Photos: Organizes HEIC photo libraries with Live Photo playback and depth map lighting adjustments.

Professional Creative Suites & Cloud Platforms

Industry-standard creative applications supporting HEIC workflows:

Adobe Photoshop 2024 / Lightroom: Full support for Camera Raw adjustments, color grading, and layer composition.
Google Photos / Drive: Natively stores and previews HEIC images across web, iOS, and Android clients.

Live Interactive Tools

Execute This Operation In Your Browser

AnyFileX processes all transformations, magic byte analysis, and batch pipelines 100% in client-side RAM with zero cloud storage exposure.

HEIC to JPG Converter Browser-Based Image Compressor

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. CopyTrans HEIC is free for personal home use, signed with a valid digital certificate, and has been trusted by millions of Windows users since 2017 to enable HEIC thumbnail rendering in File Explorer.

Tested & Verified EnvironmentsAudited: September 2026

CopyTrans HEIC v2.0 (Windows 11)Apple Preview (macOS Sonoma / Sequoia)Adobe Photoshop 2025 (v26.0)IrfanView 64-bit + Formats Plugin