How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, Mac, and Online

If you have ever transferred photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC and found yourself staring at files with a .heic extension that refuse to open, you are not alone. HEIC is Apple's default photo format, and while it is technically impressive, it creates real friction the moment you try to share, upload, or print those photos anywhere outside the Apple ecosystem. The good news is that converting HEIC to JPG is fast, easy, and often completely free — you just need to know which method works best for your situation.

The frustration is understandable: you take a beautiful photo on your iPhone, send it to a friend with an Android phone, try to upload it to a website, or hand it off to a print shop — and suddenly the file does not work. JPG is the universal language of digital photography. It works everywhere: Windows, Android, Linux, web browsers, photo labs, email clients, and legacy software going back decades. Converting your HEIC files to JPG is the simplest way to ensure your photos work wherever you need them to.

In this guide, you will find five different methods for converting HEIC to JPG — from a quick online tool to built-in OS features and command-line tools for power users. Whether you need to convert a single photo or thousands of files in a batch, there is a method here that fits your workflow. Let's start with the fastest option and work our way through every approach.

At a Glance

Short on time? Here is the fastest path to a converted file based on your device:

| Your Device | Fastest Method | Time Required | |---|---|---| | Any device (browser) | HEIC to JPG converter online | Under 30 seconds | | Windows 10/11 | Install HEIF Image Extensions from Microsoft Store | 2 minutes setup | | Mac (single file) | Open in Preview, Export as JPEG | Under 1 minute | | Mac (batch files) | Automator workflow or sips terminal command | 2 minutes for hundreds of files | | iPhone (future photos) | Change Camera settings to shoot in Most Compatible | 30 seconds | | Advanced users | FFmpeg or ImageMagick command-line tools | Instant after setup |

Key takeaways before you dive in:

• HEIC files are typically 40-50% smaller than equivalent JPG files at similar quality
• Converting HEIC to JPG introduces some quality loss because JPG is a lossy format, but it is usually imperceptible
• You can batch convert hundreds of HEIC files at once using Mac's Automator, terminal commands, or a good online tool
• Your iPhone can be set to shoot in JPG going forward, which prevents the problem from recurring

What is HEIC and Why Does It Exist?

HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It is the file format Apple adopted starting with iOS 11 in 2017, and it is based on the HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) standard developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group — the same organization behind MP4 and AAC audio. Apple did not invent HEIC; they adopted an open standard because it offered something JPG simply cannot match: dramatically better compression without a visible drop in quality.

The engineering behind HEIC is genuinely clever. Where JPG compresses images using a decades-old algorithm called Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), HEIC uses a more modern technique derived from the HEVC (H.265) video codec. This allows HEIC to store more image information in fewer bytes. A photo that takes up 4MB as a JPG might only need 2MB as a HEIC file, with no perceptible quality difference to the human eye. For a smartphone with 128GB of storage and a camera capable of shooting 48-megapixel RAW-quality images, that 50% size reduction is enormously valuable. To learn more about how the format works under the hood, check out this deeper dive on what is HEIC format.

HEIC also supports features that JPG cannot, including transparency (alpha channel), multiple images in a single file (which is how iPhone Live Photos work), 16-bit color depth, and wide color gamuts like Display P3. It is, in almost every technical sense, a superior format to JPG. The problem is adoption: JPG has had a 30-year head start and is baked into essentially every piece of software ever written. HEIC, despite its advantages, is still not universally supported — and that gap is why you are reading this guide.

Why You Might Need to Convert HEIC to JPG

Compatibility with Windows and Non-Apple Devices

Windows does not natively support HEIC without an additional codec installed from the Microsoft Store. If you plug your iPhone into a Windows PC and open the Photos folder, you will likely see the files listed but be unable to preview or open them without extra software. Android phones, Chromebooks, Linux systems, and older versions of Windows face the same issue. JPG works everywhere without any additional software because it has been a universal standard since the early 1990s.

Uploading to Websites and Social Media

Many websites, CMS platforms, and web applications either do not accept HEIC files or will convert them server-side with unpredictable results. WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, and most e-commerce platforms prefer JPG or PNG. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accept HEIC from iOS apps directly, but if you are uploading via a desktop browser, you will often run into rejection errors or silent conversion failures. Converting your files to JPG first guarantees consistent, predictable results.

Email and Messaging Apps

Sending HEIC photos via email is hit or miss. Gmail, Outlook, and many corporate email clients on Windows will display HEIC attachments as generic file icons rather than image previews. The recipient may not be able to open the file at all if they do not have Apple software installed. JPG attachments display as inline image previews in virtually every email client, making them the safe and professional choice when sharing photos with colleagues, clients, or anyone outside the Apple ecosystem.

Printing at Photo Labs

Most professional print labs — whether you are ordering prints online or walking into a local shop — accept JPG, PNG, and TIFF. Very few accept HEIC. If you want high-quality prints of your iPhone photos, converting to JPG is a necessary step. This is especially relevant if you are printing photos for events, portfolios, or gifts where quality and reliability matter.

Legacy and Specialized Software

Older photo editing software, document management systems, medical imaging applications, and countless industry-specific tools were built before HEIC existed. If your workflow involves any software that was last updated before 2018 or so, there is a good chance it cannot read HEIC files. Converting to JPG ensures compatibility with the entire universe of software rather than just the modern Apple-compatible subset.

Method 1: Convert HEIC to JPG Online

The fastest and most convenient way to convert HEIC to JPG — especially if you only need to convert a few files — is to use an online converter. No software installation required, no command lines, no settings to configure. You just upload your files, click convert, and download the results.

Our HEIC to JPG converter is built specifically for this task. It handles single files and batch conversions, processes your images directly in the browser (your photos never leave your device), and delivers converted JPG files in seconds.

Step-by-Step: Using the Online HEIC to JPG Converter

Step 1: Open the converter Navigate to the HEIC to JPG converter in any browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, or any modern mobile browser.

Step 2: Upload your HEIC files Click the upload area or drag and drop your .heic files directly onto the page. You can select multiple files at once for batch conversion. There is no strict file size limit for most use cases.

Step 3: Adjust quality settings (optional) The converter defaults to high-quality output (around 90% JPEG quality), which balances file size and visual quality perfectly for most uses. If you need smaller files for web use or larger files for printing, you can adjust the quality slider before converting.

Step 4: Click Convert Click the Convert button and wait a few seconds while your files are processed. For large batches, this may take slightly longer, but most conversions complete in under 10 seconds.

Step 5: Download your JPG files Click the Download button for individual files, or use the Download All option to grab a ZIP archive of all your converted JPGs at once.

If HEIC is not the only format you are working with, our general-purpose image converter handles dozens of format combinations including WebP, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and more.

Method 2: Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows

Windows 10 and 11 both gained native HEIC support — but with an important caveat. Microsoft made it dependent on a paid codec that should be installed automatically, but often is not unless you have the right version of Windows or have installed it manually. Here is how to get full HEIC support on Windows.

Windows 11 Built-in Support

Windows 11 includes improved HEIC handling compared to Windows 10, but you still typically need the HEIF Image Extensions codec to view and convert files natively. Open the Microsoft Store, search for "HEIF Image Extensions," and install the free Microsoft extension. Once installed, the Windows Photos app can open HEIC files, and you can right-click any HEIC file and choose to open it with Photos, then save or export it as JPG.

Installing HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store

1. Press Windows + S and search for Microsoft Store
2. Open the Store and search for "HEIF Image Extensions"
3. Click Get or Install (it is free)
4. Also search for and install "AV1 Video Extension" — this is sometimes required for HEIC files that use AV1 compression
5. Once installed, restart any open file explorer windows
6. You can now open HEIC files in Windows Photos — right-click, select Open With > Photos, then go to ... > Save As and choose JPEG as the file type

Converting HEIC to JPG Using Windows Photos

Once the HEIF codec is installed:

1. Right-click the HEIC file and select Open With > Photos
2. Click the three-dot menu (...) in the top right corner
3. Select Save As
4. Change the file type to JPEG in the dropdown
5. Choose a save location and click Save

Third-Party Tools for Windows

If you need to batch convert many files or want more control over output quality, third-party options are more capable:

• IrfanView (free): A powerful, lightweight image viewer that supports HEIC via a plugin and can batch convert thousands of files at once
• XnConvert (free): Dedicated batch image conversion tool with HEIC support, highly configurable output settings
• CopyTrans HEIC for Windows (free): A simple plugin that adds HEIC support to Windows Explorer and allows right-click conversion to JPG

Method 3: Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac

Mac users have the easiest path to HEIC conversion because macOS has supported the format natively since High Sierra (macOS 10.13). You have three great options depending on whether you need to convert one file or thousands.

Using Preview for Single File Conversion

Preview is macOS's built-in image viewer and it handles HEIC flawlessly. Converting a single file is a four-click process:

1. Open the HEIC file in Preview (double-click it, or right-click and select Open With > Preview)
2. Go to File > Export
3. In the Format dropdown, select JPEG
4. Adjust the Quality slider if desired (the default is usually fine)
5. Choose a save location and click Save

That is all there is to it. The exported file will be a standard JPG that works everywhere.

Batch Conversion with Automator

If you have a folder full of HEIC files to convert, Preview's one-at-a-time approach gets tedious quickly. Automator — Apple's built-in workflow automation tool — can convert an entire folder in seconds.

1. Open Automator (press Command + Space, type Automator, press Enter)
2. Create a new document and choose Application as the type
3. In the search bar, search for "Change Type of Images" and drag it into the workflow
4. When prompted to add a "Copy Finder Items" action, click Add to preserve your originals
5. In the "Change Type of Images" action, set the type to JPEG
6. Save the Automator application somewhere convenient (like your Desktop)
7. Now simply drag and drop any folder of HEIC files onto this Automator app icon — it will batch convert everything inside

This is one of the most efficient batch conversion setups available on any platform, and it is completely free since it uses software that is already on your Mac.

Using the Terminal with sips

For developers and power users, the sips command (scriptable image processing system) is a fast, scriptable option built into every Mac. Open Terminal and use these commands:

Convert a single file:

sips -s format jpeg /path/to/photo.heic --out /path/to/photo.jpg

Batch convert all HEIC files in a folder:

cd /path/to/your/heic/folder
for f in *.heic; do sips -s format jpeg "$f" --out "${f%.heic}.jpg"; done

Batch convert with a specific quality setting (0.0 to 1.0):

for f in *.heic; do sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 "$f" --out "${f%.heic}.jpg"; done

The sips command is extremely fast — it can process hundreds of images in the time it would take to manually convert a handful through a GUI. It is also perfect for automating conversion in shell scripts or cron jobs.

Method 4: Convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone

The best solution is sometimes to prevent the problem entirely. If you do not need the space-saving benefits of HEIC, you can simply tell your iPhone to shoot photos in JPG format from the start. You can also use a clever sharing trick to automatically convert existing HEIC files when sending them.

Change Your Camera Settings to Shoot in JPG

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone
2. Scroll down and tap Camera
3. Tap Formats
4. Under Camera Capture, select Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency
5. From now on, all new photos will be saved as JPG files

This is the cleanest long-term solution if you consistently run into compatibility issues. The tradeoff is that your photos will take up roughly twice as much storage space. On a 256GB iPhone that is not usually a problem, but on a 64GB or 128GB device, you may notice your storage filling up faster.

The AirDrop and Email Conversion Trick

iOS automatically converts HEIC to JPG when you share photos through certain channels. If you share a photo via AirDrop to a non-Apple device, it will be sent as JPG. If you share via email using the Mail app, you can sometimes trigger the conversion automatically.

For a more reliable approach, try this:

1. Open the Photos app and select the HEIC photos you want to convert
2. Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow)
3. Choose Save to Files and save to a location like iCloud Drive
4. The saved version may be converted to JPG, depending on your iOS version

A more reliable method is to use the HEIC to JPG converter directly from Safari on your iPhone. Tap the converter link, upload from your Photos library, convert, and save the JPG back to your device. The whole process takes under a minute.

Method 5: Using FFmpeg or ImageMagick (Advanced)

For developers, system administrators, or anyone who needs to convert large volumes of HEIC files as part of an automated pipeline, FFmpeg and ImageMagick are the professional-grade command-line tools of choice. Both are cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux) and can handle batch processing at scale.

Converting HEIC to JPG with FFmpeg

FFmpeg is best known as a video conversion tool, but it also handles image formats including HEIC. First, install FFmpeg from ffmpeg.org or via a package manager.

Mac installation:

brew install ffmpeg

Convert a single HEIC file:

ffmpeg -i input.heic output.jpg

Control output quality (2 is highest, 31 is lowest):

ffmpeg -i input.heic -q:v 2 output.jpg

Batch convert all HEIC files in a directory:

for f in *.heic; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -q:v 2 "${f%.heic}.jpg"; done

Converting HEIC to JPG with ImageMagick

ImageMagick is arguably the most powerful image processing toolkit available. It supports virtually every image format and offers fine-grained control over every aspect of the conversion.

Install ImageMagick:

# Mac
brew install imagemagick

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install imagemagick

# Windows (via Chocolatey)
choco install imagemagick

Convert a single file:

convert input.heic output.jpg

Set JPEG quality (1-100):

convert -quality 92 input.heic output.jpg

Batch convert with specific quality and resize:

mogrify -format jpg -quality 85 -resize 2000x2000\> *.heic

Convert entire directory tree recursively:

find /path/to/photos -name "*.heic" -exec convert -quality 90 {} {}.jpg \;

HEIC vs JPG Quality Comparison

Understanding the tradeoffs between HEIC and JPG will help you make informed decisions about when to convert and what quality settings to use.

| Feature | HEIC | JPG | |---|---|---| | Compression type | Lossy (HEVC-based) | Lossy (DCT-based) | | Typical file size for iPhone photo | 2-3 MB | 4-6 MB | | Color depth | Up to 16-bit | 8-bit | | Wide color (P3) support | Yes | Limited | | Transparency (alpha) | Yes | No | | Multiple images per file | Yes (Live Photos) | No | | Universal software support | Limited (Apple-focused) | Near-universal | | Browser support | Limited | Universal | | Print lab acceptance | Rare | Universal | | Quality loss when re-saving | Yes (lossy) | Yes (lossy) | | HDR support | Yes | No | | Metadata (EXIF) support | Yes | Yes | | Average quality-to-size ratio | Excellent (2x better than JPG) | Good |

| Use Case | Recommended Format | Reason | |---|---|---| | iPhone photo storage | HEIC | 50% smaller files, no visible quality loss | | Sharing with Windows users | JPG | Universal compatibility | | Professional printing | JPG or TIFF | Lab compatibility | | Web upload | JPG (or WebP) | Browser support, small file size | | Social media | JPG | Consistent results across platforms | | Email attachment | JPG | Displays as inline preview everywhere | | Long-term archiving | HEIC or TIFF | Better quality preservation | | Photo editing workflow | JPG (or RAW/TIFF) | Wide software support |

The quality loss when converting from HEIC to JPG is real but usually imperceptible at quality settings of 85% or higher. HEIC's superior compression algorithm means the original file already contains less data than a theoretical lossless source — converting to JPG adds another layer of lossy compression on top. For this reason, you should always convert from HEIC to JPG as a final step, never re-encode the resulting JPG back to HEIC.

For a deeper comparison of image formats and which is best for different situations, the guides on HEIC vs JPEG comparison and best image format for web are worth reading. You might also find the PNG vs JPG guide useful if you are deciding whether JPG is even the right target format for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

Yes, but the quality loss is almost always invisible to the human eye when you use a quality setting of 85% or higher. Both HEIC and JPG are lossy formats, meaning they discard some image data to achieve compression. When you convert HEIC to JPG, you are re-encoding already-compressed data, which can introduce additional artifacts — but the practical difference between a high-quality JPG and the original HEIC is negligible for photos viewed on screens or printed at standard sizes. If quality is critical, shoot in Apple ProRAW on supported iPhones, which gives you maximum data to work with before any lossy conversion.

How do I open HEIC files on Windows?

The easiest way is to install the HEIF Image Extensions codec from the Microsoft Store — it is free and adds native HEIC support to Windows Photos and Windows File Explorer thumbnails. Alternatively, you can convert the files to JPG first using our HEIC to JPG converter or a third-party tool like IrfanView. Apple's iCloud for Windows also installs HEIC codec support automatically if you use iCloud Photos.

Why does my iPhone save photos as HEIC?

Apple switched to HEIC as the default photo format with iOS 11 in 2017 because it offers significantly better compression than JPG — roughly 40-50% smaller files at equivalent visual quality. This means your iPhone can store more photos without using more storage, and photos sync faster over iCloud. Apple continues to use HEIC as the default because the storage benefits are substantial, especially as camera resolutions keep increasing. You can switch to JPG format in Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible if you prefer universal compatibility over storage efficiency.

Can I batch convert HEIC to JPG?

Yes, absolutely. Most of the methods in this guide support batch conversion:

• Online tool: Our HEIC to JPG converter accepts multiple files in a single upload
• Mac Automator: Converts entire folders at once by dragging and dropping
• Mac terminal with sips: A one-line command processes all HEIC files in a folder
• ImageMagick: Can recursively process entire directory trees
• FFmpeg: Handles batch conversion through shell scripting
• IrfanView on Windows: Has a dedicated batch conversion dialog

For very large libraries (thousands of photos), the terminal-based tools like sips, ImageMagick, or FFmpeg are the most efficient because they can run unattended overnight.

What is the difference between HEIC and HEIF?

HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) is the container format standard, while HEIC is the specific implementation of HEIF that uses HEVC (H.265) compression. Think of HEIF as the box and HEIC as the specific type of box. Apple uses the .heic file extension because it uses HEVC compression inside the HEIF container. There is also .heif as a file extension for HEIF files using other compression methods. In everyday usage, HEIC and HEIF refer to essentially the same thing — Apple's modern photo format — but HEIC specifically implies HEVC compression. For more detail, the article on what is HEIC format covers this thoroughly. You can also explore the HEIC converter hub and the JPG converter hub for format-specific conversion tools.

Is HEIC better than JPG?

In pure technical terms, HEIC is superior to JPG in almost every measurable way: better compression, higher color depth, HDR support, transparency support, and the ability to store multiple images in one file. However, "better" in practice depends on your use case. HEIC is better for storage efficiency and preserving image quality within a small file size. JPG is better for compatibility, since it works everywhere without any special software. If you are storing photos on your iPhone and viewing them primarily on Apple devices, HEIC is the better choice. If you need to share photos widely, upload them to websites, or use them in professional workflows, JPG's universal compatibility makes it the practical winner. The HEIC vs JPEG comparison goes deeper into this question with side-by-side visual examples.

Conclusion

HEIC is a genuinely impressive format that Apple adopted for good reasons — better photo quality in less storage space is a real benefit for iPhone users. But the compatibility gap between HEIC and the rest of the digital world is a genuine friction point, and knowing how to convert HEIC to JPG quickly and reliably is an essential skill for anyone who uses an iPhone.

To recap the best approaches for each situation:

• For one or a few files on any device, use the online HEIC to JPG converter — it is the fastest path to a compatible file with no setup required
• For Windows users dealing with HEIC files regularly, install the HEIF Image Extensions codec from the Microsoft Store
• For Mac users with single files, Preview is already on your Mac and takes four clicks
• For Mac users with large batches, Automator or sips in Terminal makes batch conversion effortless
• For iPhone users who want to stop the problem at the source, switch Camera Formats to Most Compatible
• For developers and power users building automated workflows, ImageMagick or FFmpeg offer unmatched control and scalability

The right method depends on how often you deal with HEIC files and how many you need to convert at once. If you are only doing this occasionally, the online tool will serve you perfectly. If HEIC conversion is part of your regular workflow, investing five minutes to set up the Automator workflow or install the Windows codec will save you considerable time in the long run.

Ready to convert your HEIC photos right now? Head to the HEIC to JPG converter and have your files ready in under a minute. If you need to convert to a different format like PNG, the HEIC to PNG converter is also available for situations where you need transparency support in your converted files.