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5 Best Browsers that Support HEIC [Ranked by Image Quality]
Choose a fast and intuitive web browser that packs great features
7 min. read
Updated onFebruary 29, 2024
updated onFebruary 29, 2024
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Key notes
Looking for a browser that offers support for HEIC image files? We recommend some of the best browsers that not just help you open the files but also offer the best image quality.
However, HEIC is more of a container for images and audio. It allows you to save your pictures in a better way.
It compresses the images to make them smaller in size and save data without losing image quality.
But, as of today, HEIC files are not supported by any of the browsers natively. So how do you view a HEIC image on your web browser?
Can you display HEIC in HTML?
HEIC and HEIF files are not supported by the tag in HTML5 and so, the only option is to convert the file format as below:
You can then convert the images using a conversion library, for example, the heic2any library byAlex Corvior using theheic-convertproject.
How do I open HEIC in my browser?
If you come across the HEIC unsupported file type on your browser, you can follow the below instructions to open the image file:
You can now view the HEIC images within the Photos app on your Windows PC.
For more information onhow to open & convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 11/10, you can refer to our comprehensive guide here.
But if you are looking for the best browser that offers support for HEIC images and maintains image quality, we have a few recommendations below.
What are the best browsers that support HEIC?
Opera One– High-quality image viewing
The most underrated of all, the Opera One browser surprises its users by displaying the images as it is from the content.
It’s one of the browsers that supports almost all major image formats, including, JPB, PNG, APNG, AVIF, GIF, TIFF, and so on.
So, for example, if you want to view a HEIC image using an extension or software, it will display the converted image with the same original quality.
Opera One is one such browser that makes good use of your system’s graphics card and display resolution.
Some of its othermajor featuresinclude:
Opera One
Google Chrome– View all image formats with Google Photos
The most popular browser in the world, Google Chrome, is known for offering a plethora of advanced features, including a wide range of useful extensions.
Chrome supports almost all major image formats, for example, PNG, GIF, JPG, or SVG without any additional tool.
However, it does not support HEIC image format natively, but, you can view the images using Google Photos and Google Drive.
Chrome will then display the images in the original image quality using the full potential of the system graphics.
Among its other significant features are:
⇒Get Google Chrome
Microsoft Edge– Edit images with the web capture tool
Known for its ability to play 4K video quality for Netflix, Microsoft Edge is the new solution for the Ultra HD video lovers.
A feature-rich browser, Edge is also known for its web capture tool that now comes with a lot of improvements.
So, if you open a HEIC image file on Edge using a dedicated tool, you can even edit the image right in the browser while it maintains the original quality.
Moreover, it can even label an image found on the web (through the screen reader) automatically, using its ML (machine learning) algorithms.
Here are some of its otherkey features:
⇒Get Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox– Fast browser with a superior image viewing experience
Apart from its excellent picture-in-picture function, Mozilla Firefox is also known to help you view different image formats in high-quality.
It supports all major image formats including WebP, JPEG, PNG, APNG, AVIF, GIF, BMP, and more.
However, since the browser does not support HEIC, you can use an extension like theFile Conversion Toolor using an online image converter.
Once you successfully open the converted HEIC image file in Firefox, it will be of the highest quality as the original.
Below are some of its otherimportant features:
⇒Get Mozilla Firefox
Apple Safari– Native support for iOS devices
While Apple does not support HEIC image format on macOS, it does support the file extension in its iOS devices.
However, according to Apple, you can upgrade to iOS 11 or later or macOS High Sierra or later to view, edit, or duplicate HEIF or HEVC media captured with an iOS device.
In the non-supported versions of macOS, you can either convert the image to JPEG on your iOS device and transfer it to your Mac or use a 3rd party HEIC converter.
Once you have the converted file on your Mac, it will display the image with the same quality as the original one.
Here we have listed some of its othermajor features:
⇒Get Apple Safari
Is HEIC better than JPEG?
Yes, HEIC is a better image format than JPG in terms of its ability to compress pictures into a small file size while maintaining the original quality.
However, although it’s gaining popularity, it’s not as commonly used as the JPG format, and not many apps and devices offer support yet.
Web browsers don’t render graphics, but only content, and hence, a high-resolution image depends on your computer’s graphics and the display resolution.
A browser can take advantage of the system’s graphics settings and display the image.
So, for those looking for the best browsers that support HEIC files with the same image quality, we recommend the above list.
However, there are more ways toopen & convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 11/10as explained in our detailed guide.
You can also useHEIC viewer on Windows 10or 11 to view these types of files, and we have a special guide on it.
For any other queries on browsers or image formats, you can leave a message in the comments box below.
More about the topics:browsers,Opera Web Browser
Madhuparna Roy
A diploma holder in computers and with a keen interest in technology, Madhuparna is passionate about writing How-to guides and helping people solve the most intricate Windows issues.
It all started with the evolution of mobile phones and Google, and that has now settled with Windows.
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