To convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac, open the photo in Preview and choose File → Export → JPEG, or select several files in Finder and use Quick Actions → Convert Image. On Windows, install Microsoft’s HEIF and HEVC extensions, open the photo in Paint and choose Save as → JPEG picture. You can also drop any number of files into a browser-based HEIC to JPG Converter. On an iPhone, set Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible so new photos are saved as JPG.
Which method suits you depends on how many photos you have and whether you need to keep the date and location information stored inside them. This guide covers each option and its trade-offs.
What is a HEIC file, and why won’t it open?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple’s version of the HEIF image format. iPhones have saved photos as HEIC by default since iOS 11 in 2017. The image inside is compressed with HEVC (H.265), the same codec used for high-efficiency video. That makes the files small, often around half the size of a comparable JPG. The catch is compatibility:
- Windows can only display HEIC after you add codecs from the Microsoft Store, and HEVC is a licensed codec, so its extension isn’t always free.
- Many websites and upload forms (job portals, government sites, older content management systems, print kiosks) only accept JPG or PNG.
- Older photo editors and some email clients show a blank icon or an error.
Converting to JPG fixes all of these, because JPG works on every device, browser and app.
The quickest method for each device
| Device | Built-in method | Batch conversion | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10/11 | Paint → Save as → JPEG (after installing HEIF + HEVC extensions) | No | One or two photos |
| Mac | Finder → Quick Actions → Convert Image, or Preview → Export | Yes | Any amount, with option to keep metadata |
| iPhone/iPad | Camera format setting, Shortcuts “Convert Image” action | Yes (Shortcuts) | Stopping the problem at source |
| Any browser | HEIC to JPG Converter | Yes, with ZIP download | Windows PCs, work laptops, Chromebooks |
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 10 and 11
Windows doesn’t include a batch HEIC converter. It can open and re-save individual files once the right extensions are installed.
- Try opening the photo in the Photos app. If it displays, the codecs are already installed and you can skip to step 3.
- Install the codecs from the Microsoft Store. Search for HEIF Image Extensions (free) and HEVC Video Extensions. The HEVC extension is a paid download of about $1 unless your PC maker pre-installed the free “from Device Manufacturer” version. You need both, because HEIC photos are HEVC-encoded.
- Open the photo in Paint. Right-click the file → Open with → Paint.
- Choose File → Save as → JPEG picture, pick a folder and save.
This works fine for a handful of photos. For a whole folder of iPhone pictures, or if you can’t install Store apps on a work computer, use a browser converter instead (covered below). It needs no codecs because the HEIC decoder runs inside the web page.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac
macOS reads HEIC natively, so you have three good options.
Finder Quick Action (fastest for many files, macOS Monterey or later)
- Select the HEIC files in Finder.
- Right-click (or Control-click) → Quick Actions → Convert Image.
- Set Format to JPEG and choose an image size (Actual Size keeps full resolution).
- Tick Preserve Metadata if you want to keep the date taken and location, then click Convert to JPEG.
The JPGs are saved next to the originals.
Preview (one photo, with a quality slider)
- Open the photo in Preview.
- Choose File → Export.
- Set Format to JPEG, drag the Quality slider (Preview shows the estimated file size) and click Save.
For several photos, open them all in Preview, select every thumbnail in the sidebar, then choose File → Export Selected Images. Click Options to set the format to JPEG.
Photos app
Select the pictures, choose File → Export → Export Photos, set Photo Kind to JPEG and pick a quality level.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone or iPad
Stop new photos being saved as HEIC. Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. From then on the camera saves JPG (and H.264 video). Existing photos are not converted. The files will take up more storage, and some high-resolution or high-frame-rate video modes need the High Efficiency setting.
Convert automatically when copying to a computer. In Settings → Photos, set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic. When you import over a USB cable, the iPhone sends JPG copies. On recent iOS versions, some app settings have moved to Settings → Apps, so look for Photos there if it isn’t in the main list.
Batch-convert on the phone with Shortcuts. In the Shortcuts app, create a new shortcut with three actions:
- Select Photos (turn on Select Multiple).
- Convert Image → set the format to JPEG.
- Save to Photo Album.
Run it, choose your HEIC photos, and JPG copies appear in your library.
A useful side note is that when you upload a photo through a website’s file picker, iOS often converts it to JPG automatically if the site doesn’t declare HEIC support. If an upload still fails, convert the photo first.
How to batch-convert HEIC to JPG in your browser
A browser converter works on any computer, including locked-down work PCs, Chromebooks and Linux machines, with nothing to install. AnyShift’s converter decodes the HEIC file inside the page, so your photos are never uploaded to a server.
- Open the HEIC to JPG Converter.
- Set the options before adding files, because they apply to the next files you drop. Quality defaults to 90%. You can also set a maximum width or height if the photos are going on a website or into an email.
- Drop one HEIC file or a whole folder’s worth. They convert one after another, and each result shows its dimensions and size.
- Download files individually or all at once as a ZIP.
If your folder mixes HEIC with PNG, WebP or TIFF files, the Bulk Image Format Converter handles them in one pass. If you plan to edit the photos heavily in Photoshop, Canva or Figma, convert with HEIC to PNG instead. PNG is lossless, but a 12-megapixel photo as PNG is very large, so use it only when you need it.
About metadata: the browser converter outputs the picture only. The date taken, GPS location and camera details are not copied into the JPG. That’s ideal for privacy when posting online, but if you’re moving photos into a library that sorts by date taken, use the Mac Quick Action with Preserve Metadata ticked, or the Photos app export. If you have JPGs from other sources and want to strip location data before sharing, use Remove EXIF Metadata.
Which JPG quality should you choose?
JPG is a lossy format, so the quality setting is a trade-off between sharpness and file size. HEIC compresses more efficiently, so the JPG is usually larger than the original HEIC, often by 1.5–2× at high quality.
| JPG quality | Visible difference | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 95% | None, even when zoomed | Prints, archives, further editing |
| 90% (AnyShift default) | Practically none | General sharing and backups |
| 80% | Very hard to spot | Email, websites, social media |
| 70% | Slight softening in fine detail | Upload forms with strict size limits |
If an upload form still says the file is too big after converting, lower the quality or set a maximum width of around 2000 px. You can also run the JPGs through the Image Compressor, which shows the saving for every file.
Troubleshooting common HEIC problems
- Windows says it needs an extension to open the file. Install both HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions (step 2 above), or use a browser converter that doesn’t rely on Windows codecs.
- The file is .heif, not .heic. It’s the same format family. Every method in this guide handles both.
- Live Photos. A Live Photo is a still image plus a short video. Converting gives you the still image as a JPG; the motion part is not included.
- Android phones. Some Android phones, including many Samsung Galaxy models, have a “High efficiency pictures” camera option that saves HEIF. Turn it off in the camera settings if recipients can’t open your photos.
- Renaming the file doesn’t work. Changing photo.heic to photo.jpg only changes the name, not the data inside, and most apps will still refuse it. You need a real conversion.
FAQ
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
Technically yes, because JPG re-compresses the image, but at 90–95% quality the difference is invisible at normal viewing sizes. Convert once from the original HEIC rather than re-saving a JPG repeatedly, since each JPG save adds a little more loss.
Why are my JPGs bigger than the HEIC originals?
HEIC uses the more efficient HEVC codec, so it stores the same picture in fewer bytes. A JPG of the same photo at high quality is typically 1.5–2 times larger. Lower the JPG quality to around 80% if size matters more than maximum detail.
Can I open HEIC on Windows for free?
The HEIF Image Extensions are free, but most PCs also need the HEVC Video Extensions, which cost about $1 in the Microsoft Store unless your manufacturer pre-installed them. A browser-based converter is a free alternative that needs no codecs at all.
Is it safe to use an online HEIC converter?
It depends on whether the site uploads your photos. AnyShift converts inside your browser and never sends the files to a server, which matters for personal photos, IDs and client work. Many other converters upload files for processing, so check before using them with sensitive images.
Will switching my iPhone to Most Compatible convert my old photos?
No. The setting only affects photos taken after you change it. Existing HEIC photos stay as HEIC until you convert them with one of the methods above.
Does converting keep the date and location?
The Mac Quick Action keeps it if you tick Preserve Metadata, and the Photos app export usually keeps it too. AnyShift’s browser converter removes it, which protects your privacy when sharing but means photo apps may sort the JPGs by the date the file was created instead of the date the photo was taken.