Unable to Install HEIF Image Extensions (HEIC Codec) Due to Microsoft Store Restriction

Dear Srinatha Raghupaty,

In enterprise environments where the Microsoft Store is blocked, the HEIF Image Extensions cannot be deployed directly because Microsoft only distributes them through the Store. There is no officially supported offline MSIX/Appx package available for redistribution, so the correct approach is to handle this through Intune or Configuration Manager using the Microsoft Store for Business or Education integration. Once the Store for Business is linked to Intune, the HEIF Image Extensions can be acquired and then silently deployed to managed devices without requiring end‑user access to the Store. If Store for Business is not an option due to policy, the alternative is to use third‑party image conversion tools or enforce a workflow that converts HEIC files to JPEG/PNG before distribution. At this point, the only supported Microsoft method is Store‑based deployment, so if organizational policy prevents that, the recommendation is to revisit the Intune policy configuration and allow Store for Business integration specifically for codec distribution.

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Thank you so much!!

QQ.

HEIF Image Extensions are distributed through the Microsoft Store and exposed to apps via the Windows Imaging Component (WIC) HEIF codec. In a locked-down enterprise, there are two main options: allow Store-based deployment in a controlled way or use alternative viewers/codecs.

1. How HEIF support is provided on Windows

Windows uses the HEIF extension codec (HEIF Image Extensions) as a WIC codec. Apps that use WIC can then decode HEIF/HEIC images via the HEIF pixel formats and APIs described in the HEIF codec documentation. The extension itself is obtained from Microsoft Store as the HEIF Image Extension app.

“To download the extension codec from the Microsoft Store, see HEIF Image Extension.”

There is no separate offline MSIX/Appx package for HEIF Image Extensions documented in the provided material.

2. Store restrictions vs. codec usage

Even if access to the Microsoft Store app UI is blocked, Intune and policy settings can still allow deployment of Store-sourced apps in a managed way:

• When the Store app is turned off via GPO/Intune, users cannot browse or install apps interactively.
• However, devices managed by Microsoft Intune can still install applications sourced from Microsoft Store, even if the Store app itself is blocked.

“Devices managed by Microsoft Intune can still install applications sourced from Microsoft Store, even if you block access to the Microsoft Store app.”

This distinction is key: Store UI can remain blocked while IT deploys Store apps (such as HEIF Image Extensions) centrally.

3. Recommended enterprise approach

1. Keep the Store app blocked for users if required
   Use the documented Intune or GPO setting to turn off the Store application:
   • Intune: Settings catalog → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Store → Turn off the Store application = Enabled.
   • GPO: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Store → Turn off the Store application = Enabled.
2. Ensure Store-originated apps are allowed and can update
   In Intune / policy, configure Store-related policies so that Store-sourced apps can still be deployed and updated:
   • Disable all apps from the Microsoft Store policy: set to Not configured or Enabled as recommended for Intune-based Store deployments.
   • Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates: set to Not configured or Disabled so Store apps (including codecs) can auto-update.
   • Enable App Installer Microsoft Store Source: set to Not configured or Enabled.
   These settings ensure that Store-originated packages can be installed/updated by IT, even though end users cannot access the Store UI.
3. Deploy HEIF Image Extensions via Intune’s Microsoft Store integration
   Use the Microsoft Store integration in Intune to add and deploy the HEIF Image Extension app to targeted devices or users. This uses the Store as a backend source but does not require users to open the Store app.
4. Application usage of the HEIF codec
   Once the HEIF extension is installed, WIC-based apps can:
   • Query HEIF pixel formats such as GUID_WICPixelFormat8bppDepth and GUID_WICPixelFormat8bppGain.
   • Use IWICBitmapSourceTransform::GetClosestPixelFormat and CopyPixels to decode HEIF images into standard formats (for example, GUID_WICPixelFormat24bppRGB).
   No additional per-app codec installation is required; the WIC HEIF codec is shared.

4. Alternatives if Store-sourced deployment is not allowed

The provided material does not document any official offline MSIX/Appx distribution channel for HEIF Image Extensions comparable to the HEVC Video Extensions offline deployment model. It also does not describe any built-in HEIC support that bypasses the HEIF Image Extensions package.

In that case, options outside the provided documentation would be required (for example, third-party HEIC viewers/codecs), but those are not covered in the referenced content.

References:

• Upload HEIF and HEVC photos and videos to OneDrive
• HEIF extension codec
• Add Microsoft Store Apps to Microsoft Intune
• Configure access to the Microsoft Store app
• Windows in education