How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, Mac and Chromebook
Turn iPhone HEIC photos into JPGs that open anywhere, using your browser or the apps built into Windows and macOS, without uploading them.
The quickest way to convert HEIC to JPG on any computer is to use a converter that runs in your browser. Open ImageSpark's HEIC to JPG tool, drop in the photo, choose JPG and download the result. It works the same on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and Android, there's nothing to install, and the photo is converted on your own device rather than uploaded.
Below you'll find those steps in detail, the built-in options on each platform, and the iPhone setting that stops HEIC files appearing in the first place.
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC is the file extension Apple uses for photos saved in HEIF, the High Efficiency Image File Format. It compresses photos with the same technology as HEVC video, which lets an iPhone store a photo at similar visual quality in a noticeably smaller file than a JPG. That's why iPhones and iPads save HEIC by default when the camera is set to High Efficiency.
The catch is compatibility. Apple devices open HEIC without a second thought, but many Windows programs, websites, online forms, printing services and older Android phones don't. When you copy photos from an iPhone to a PC or try to upload them to a job portal, you often get an error or a blank thumbnail. Converting to JPG fixes that, because JPG opens practically everywhere.
Convert HEIC to JPG in your browser
This method works in any major browser on a computer or phone, including Windows PCs without extra codecs and Chromebooks.
1. Open the converter. Go to HEIC to JPG.
2. Add your photo. Drag a .heic or .heif file onto the page or click to choose it. If your photos are still on your iPhone, copy them to the computer first, or open the converter in Safari on the phone itself.
3. Choose JPG and a quality. JPG works everywhere. The quality slider starts at 90%, which keeps the photo looking essentially the same while holding the file size in check. Go higher if you plan to edit the photo later.
4. Convert and download. Click Convert, wait a moment while your browser decodes the photo, then download the JPG.
The converted photo keeps its full resolution. Location data and other metadata aren't copied into the JPG, so the file is safer to share than the original. If you need a lossless file for editing or design work, use HEIC to PNG instead, which saves a PNG at full resolution. Expect the PNG to be much larger.
Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows
Windows can open HEIC photos once the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store are installed, and some PCs come with them already. Depending on your version of Windows, you may also be asked to install the HEVC Video Extensions, which aren't always free.
With the extensions in place, you can convert a photo without any extra software:
- Open the HEIC photo in Paint.
- Choose File, then Save as, then JPEG picture.
- Pick a folder and a file name, and save.
That's fine for one or two photos. For a whole folder, or on a PC where you can't install extensions, such as a work or school computer, the browser converter is simpler because it needs no codecs at all.
Convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac
Macs open HEIC natively, so you have several built-in options:
- Preview. Open the photo, choose File, then Export, set Format to JPEG, adjust the quality slider and save. To convert several at once, open them together, select all the thumbnails in the sidebar and use Export Selected Images.
- Photos. Select the pictures, choose File, then Export, then Export Photos, and pick JPEG as the photo kind.
- Finder. On macOS Monterey and later, right-click the files and look under Quick Actions for Convert Image, where you can choose JPEG and a size.
Each of these runs on your Mac. The browser converter is handy when you're on someone else's computer or want a single tool that behaves the same on every device.
Convert HEIC to JPG on a Chromebook or Android phone
On a Chromebook, the simplest route is the browser: open the converter in Chrome, add the photos from your Files app, and the JPGs save to your Downloads folder. The same works in Chrome on an Android phone, which is useful when someone has sent you HEIC photos that your gallery app can't show.
Stop your iPhone saving HEIC photos
If you regularly need JPGs, you can change what the camera saves:
- Open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. From then on, the camera saves photos as JPG.
- Open Settings, then Photos, and under Transfer to Mac or PC choose Automatic. Photos are then converted to a compatible format when you import them to a computer over a cable.
Photos you've already taken stay in HEIC, so you'll still need to convert those. Most Compatible also produces larger files, which uses more storage on your phone.
Tips and pitfalls
- JPG or PNG? Choose JPG for sharing, email and uploads. Choose PNG only when you'll edit the image heavily or an app requires PNG.
- The JPG may be larger than the HEIC. That's normal. HEIC is simply more efficient. If you need a smaller file for a form, run the JPG through a compressor afterward.
- Live Photos have two parts. A Live Photo is a still HEIC image plus a short video. Converting the HEIC gives you the still picture.
- Portrait depth effects don't carry over. Extras such as depth data are specific to HEIC and aren't part of a standard JPG.
- Converting lots of photos? On the free plan you convert one photo at a time. With Pro you can add a whole batch and download the JPGs as one ZIP.
FAQ
Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?
Barely. At a quality of 90% or higher, the JPG looks essentially identical to the HEIC at normal viewing sizes. The JPG file is usually larger because the format is less efficient.
Why does my iPhone take HEIC photos?
HEIC saves storage without a visible drop in quality, so it's the default when the camera format is set to High Efficiency. Switch to Most Compatible in Settings, Camera, Formats to shoot JPG instead.
Can I convert HEIC files without installing anything?
Yes. A browser-based converter such as ImageSpark's HEIC to JPG decodes the photo inside your browser, so you don't need codecs, apps or extensions on Windows, Chromebook or Android.
Are my photos uploaded during conversion?
No. The HEIC file is decoded and saved as a JPG on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server, and the location data in the original isn't copied into the converted file.