How to Import HEIC to Lightroom on Windows/Mac

Why do you need to put HEIC in Lightroom?

HEIC is a type of image file that contains compressed data, along with metadata such as the location a photograph was taken, the date it was created, and more. And HEIC has the advantage of taking less storage while ensuring the quality of images.

After iOS 11, iPhone-taken photos will be saved in HEIC format by default. And this ensures that users can make the most of the high-quality 4K cameras on the devices, plus the live photo and burst mode functions. The smaller-sized files leave you with plenty of storage on your device.

For the most part, using HEIC is a good way to save space and speed up file transfers, and when you need to edit the HEIC files, adding HEIC to Lightroom is a good choice. As a photo editing and photo organizer app by Adobe, Lightroom allows you to retouch your photos and organize them the way you want. 

So how to finish the HEIC import to Lightroom process? Just learn more details from the following guide now.

Can you import HEIC files to Lightroom?

The answer is yes. The HEIC files can be opened easily if your Lightroom version is the newest. Lightroom on Mac doesn’t encounter many problems handling the HEIC files, but the HEIC files are not supported in Lightroom on some Windows PCs. This is because the format isn't natively supported on a desktop.

If you have encountered this problem, you might want to double-check if your Lightroom version is the newest or you will need to install an extension to make the HEIC files work with Lightroom on Windows.

But if you are not sure which is available, it will be troublesome to install many versions of Lightroom, and it probably still not work out. In this case, there is another simple method to teach you how to import.

How to import HEIC to Lightroom on Windows/Mac

In this part, we will walk you through the steps of adding HEIC files to Lightroom on Windows PC and Macbook. Before we get started, you can transfer your iPhone photos from iPhone to PC.

How to import HEIC files to Lightroom on Windows

If your Windows PC has installed the appropriate version of Lightroom, the following part will tell you how to add HEIC to Lightroom on your computer.

Step 1. Double-click on the Lightroom app icon on your desktop to launch the app.

Step 2. When the app launches, click on the + (plus) sign and select Browse to add photos from your PC.

Step 3. Select the photos you want to add to the app.

Then your chosen HEIC photos could be available and you can edit them at will in the Lightroom app on your PC.

If your softwaredoesn't support HEIC files and you don’t want to install another version, there is also an effective way to import HEIC to Lightroom. You can choose a tool to convert the files’ format.

After converting the HEIC files, you will never encounter an importing problem with the images in Lightroom since Adobe Lightroom supports JPEG/JPG and PNG. So, if you want to convert the HEIC files, you can start re-doing the steps we included below to achieve the final output with ease.

How to convert HEIC to JPG/JPEG/PNG

To convert HEIC to JPG/JPEG/PNG easily, here we would like to introduce a professional yet free HEIC Converter-FoneTool. It is a powerful mobile data management app that can help you transfer, back up and manage all data on your iPhone, including photos, music, etc. And you can get an easy, fast and safe HEIC file conversion by using it.

You can hit the download button and then follow the steps below to change your HEIC photo format.

Step 1. On the Home page, just click on Toolbox and choose HEIC Converter.

Step 2. Drag the images you need to operate or click Add Photos to select HEIC images.

Step 3. Choose JPG/JPEG/PNG next to Photo Format > Choose Photo Quality, Conversion Speed, and Storage Path to save the photos.> Finally, click Start Converting to begin.

Step 4. When the conversion is completed, click View files to check your photos.

Then the files can be opened easily in any Lightroom version on Windows PC.

How to import HEIC images to Lightroom on Mac

For Mac users, your Mac should be running on macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later, and the support for HEIC format is available in the June 2018 update of the Lightroom app. Supported app versions are Lightroom CC 1.4 and Lightroom Classic CC 7.4. 

If you have installed the corresponding software, you can know how to open HEIC files in Lightroom on Mac simply according to the next guidance.

Step 1. Open Adobe Lightroom from the Applications folder. Then you can launch the program on your MacBook. Click the File menu and choose the Add Photos option at the top menu bar.

Step 2. Then press the md keys and click on each HEIC photo you want to open in Lightroom. Click the Review for Import button. Then the selected HEIC will be operated in Lightroom on Mac.

Conclusion

From the post, you can know how to import HEIC to Lightroom on Windows and Mac. And if the Lightroom doesn't support HEIC files, as you can see, FoneTool is a convenient image conversion software to help you simplify the process.

Besides, it’s a professional iPhone data management tool for Windows users. Its Photo Deduplication feature can help you eliminate duplicate and similar photos for free in a hurry. And if you need to view iPhone photos on iPad, FoneTool can also help you transfer data from iPhone to iPhone. So why not give it a try?