how-to · 5 min read
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, Mac and phone
To convert a HEIC photo to JPG, open it in an app that can read HEIC and export or share it as JPEG. On a Mac, Preview and Photos can do this directly; on Windows, HEIF support has to be installed first; on an iPhone, the Photos app can export a copy as JPEG.
A browser converter is quicker for a handful of files because it needs no installation and the photo never leaves your device. Large batches are better handled by the operating system's own export, which can process a whole album at once.
Why HEIC exists, and why other devices struggle
HEIC is the file format iPhones have used by default since iOS 11 when set to High Efficiency. It is a HEIF container that holds HEVC-compressed images, so it keeps more detail at a smaller size than JPG and can store 10-bit color and HDR. That efficiency is exactly why Apple switched to it.
The problem is decoding. HEVC is a licensed codec, and not every operating system ships support for it. Windows needs HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store and, on many systems, HEVC Video Extensions as well. Android support varies by manufacturer and app, and most desktop browsers cannot display a HEIC file directly. A JPG, by contrast, opens on essentially everything.
Convert on iPhone or iPad
There are two approaches. The first changes how new photos are captured: open Settings, go to Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. From then on the camera saves JPEG files, and the setting applies to new photos only, not the ones already in your library. The second keeps HEIC capture and converts when sharing, which saves storage but depends on the app you share to for conversion.
For existing photos, the share sheet is the practical route. Some apps, mail attachments and export options produce a JPEG copy automatically, while others pass the HEIC through unchanged. If a recipient reports that a photo will not open, the reliable fix is to convert it with a browser tool or a photo app rather than hoping the share route converts it.
Convert on a Mac
Preview is the quickest tool for one image: open the HEIC file, choose File, then Export, set the format to JPEG, pick a quality and save. Photos works for many files at once: select the images, choose File, then Export, then Export Photos, and pick JPEG as the format. The exported copies keep the original files untouched.
If you prefer the terminal, the built-in sips command converts a file without any extra software. For example, a command such as sips -s format jpeg photo.heic --out photo.jpg produces a JPEG copy, and you can add -s formatOptions best to raise the quality. Automator and Shortcuts can wrap the same steps into a drag-and-drop action for repeat use.
Convert on Windows
Windows will open HEIC files in the Photos app once the HEIF Image Extensions package is installed from the Microsoft Store. Many systems also need the HEVC Video Extensions package, which Microsoft sells for a small fee on some machines and which comes preinstalled on others. Once both are present, open the photo in Photos, choose the save or export option, and pick JPEG.
If installing store packages is not practical, a browser converter avoids the whole question: the file is decoded in the browser, converted to JPEG there, and downloaded without any upload or driver setup. It is also the easiest option on a locked-down work computer where store installation is disabled.
Use a browser converter when it is the right tool
A browser converter is the best fit when you have a small number of files, you are on a machine where you cannot install anything, or the photo contains something you would rather not send to a web service. Conversion happens on your device, so there is no upload to wait for and no server copy to worry about.
The trade-offs are real. HEIC decoding in the browser uses extra memory, so a batch of large photos can be slow on an older phone or laptop. The converted JPEG is also re-encoded, which means it is 8-bit instead of possibly 10-bit, and metadata such as the capture date, camera details and location may be dropped. For a folder of hundreds of photos, use the Mac or Windows route instead.
Check the result before deleting the original
Open the JPEG once, confirm the orientation is right, and look at a detailed area rather than the whole thumbnail. Check the file size is sensible and that the format really is JPEG rather than a renamed HEIC. Keep the original HEIC files: they contain more color and detail, and they are the better source if you ever edit the photo again.