HEIC photos from an iPhone can be viewed locally on a compatible Mac. Choose Preview when you want to inspect the saved image rather than import it into a photo library. Choosing an opener does not turn it into a JPEG for sharing.
Method 1: Use Finder
- In Finder, select a sample file such as photo.heic.
- Press Command–I, or choose File → Get Info.
- Expand Open with and choose Preview. If it is missing, choose Other and locate the installed app.
- Click Change All and confirm the macOS prompt.
- Double-click another file of the same type to check the new default.
Method 2: Manage associations with Pahkui
Pahkui lets you browse by app or by format. When setting up an editor for several file types, you can inspect the current defaults and review pending changes in one window. Requires macOS 14 or later.
- Open Pahkui, switch to Format, and search for the extension you need from .heic.
- Select Preview. Use Choose another app if it is not listed.
- Review the pending association, click Apply changes, and confirm the new app in the macOS dialog.
The formats in this guide require Pahkui Pro, a one-time purchase for lifetime use. The manual Finder method does not require a purchase. See pricing
If the default app does not change
- Check that the original photo is downloaded from cloud storage before testing the default app.
- If another device needs JPEG, export or convert a copy instead of renaming the HEIC extension.
- If Preview is missing, confirm it is installed and can open the sample directly, then locate it with Other. If an extension is absent from the catalog, add the format in Pahkui. Changing an association does not add format support to the target app.
Common questions
Will changing the opener change my iPhone camera format?
No. It applies to saved files on the Mac, not capture settings on an iPhone.
How do I restore the previous app for .heic?
Choose the previous app again in Finder or Pahkui and confirm the change. This updates the type association without deleting files. Use the Open With context menu for a one-time exception.