How to convert HEIC to JPG
- Open: drag your .heic photos onto the box above, or tap Choose files. On iPhone you can pick straight from Photos.
- Set quality: leave the slider at 92 for photos that look identical to the original, or lower it for smaller files.
- Convert: every photo converts on your device in a second or two — you can watch each one finish.
- Download: save each JPG on its own, or press Download all to get one ZIP with every converted photo.
Why your iPhone photos are HEIC — and the quickest fix
Since iOS 11 in 2017, iPhones save photos as HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) by default. HEIC uses HEVC video compression, so a photo takes roughly half the space of a JPG with the same visible quality. The catch is compatibility: Windows needs extra codecs to open HEIC, Chrome and Firefox can't display it, and many upload forms, print shops and older apps reject it outright. Converting to JPG solves all of that because JPEG works on every device made in the last 30 years. The quickest fix for files you already have is a browser converter like this one: drop the photos in, wait a second, download. Because the work happens on your own device, it is as private as a desktop app and as fast as your phone or laptop. For future photos, you can also tell the iPhone to send JPGs automatically when you share or transfer them, as described below.
Why converting on your device matters
Most online HEIC converters upload your photos to a server, convert them there and send them back. That works, but it means your personal photos — with faces, home interiors and often GPS coordinates in the metadata — sit on someone else's computer for a while. This page does the opposite. The converter code is downloaded once, and then every photo is decoded and re-encoded by your own browser. You can check this yourself: open your browser's developer tools, watch the Network tab, and convert a photo. No image data is sent anywhere.
- Private by design: photos never leave your device, so there is nothing to delete afterwards.
- No limits: there is no daily cap, no file-size ceiling set by a server and no waiting in a queue.
- Works offline: after your first conversion has loaded the decoder, you can switch on airplane mode and keep converting.
- Location stripped: the JPG is re-drawn from pixels, so GPS coordinates and camera metadata are not copied over.
How to open or convert HEIC without a website
You don't always need a converter. Each platform has a built-in route — some free, some not — and it helps to know them.
On Windows 10 and 11
Windows can show HEIC photos once two Microsoft Store extensions are installed: HEIF Image Extensions (free) and HEVC Video Extensions (US$0.99). After that, the Photos app opens .heic files and you can use Save as or Paint's Save as > JPEG picture to convert one photo at a time. There is no built-in batch option, and on some PCs the HEVC extension is pre-installed by the manufacturer while on others it must be bought.
On Mac
- Preview: open the photo, choose File > Export, set Format to JPEG and save. Select several photos in Preview's sidebar to export them together.
- Finder: select the photos, right-click, choose Quick Actions > Convert Image, then pick JPEG and a size.
- Photos app: select photos and choose File > Export > Export N Photos with JPEG as the kind.
On iPhone
To stop creating HEIC in the first place, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible — new photos will be JPG, but they take about twice the storage. A gentler option is Settings > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC > Automatic: the iPhone keeps HEIC on the phone but sends JPGs when you copy photos to a computer. Sharing a photo through Mail or many messaging apps also converts it to JPG automatically, though sometimes at a reduced size.
HEIC to JPG methods compared
| Method | Cost | Batch | Photos uploaded? | Works on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This page | Free | Yes, ZIP download | No — converts on your device | Any modern browser, incl. iPhone and Android |
| Upload-based online converters | Free tiers with limits | Usually capped | Yes, to their server | Any browser |
| Windows Photos + extensions | US$0.99 HEVC extension | No | No | Windows 10/11 |
| Mac Preview / Finder | Free | Yes | No | macOS only |
| iPhone “Most Compatible” | Free | Future photos only | No | iPhone; doubles photo storage |
If you are on a Mac, Preview and Finder are excellent and you don't need anything else. Everywhere else — Windows, Chromebook, Android, or a work computer where you can't install software — a browser converter that runs locally is the fastest private option.
What happens to quality, size and metadata
HEIC and JPEG are both lossy formats, so converting decodes the HEIC to pixels and compresses those pixels again as JPEG. At the default quality of 92 the difference is not visible at normal viewing sizes, even when zoomed in on a laptop. Lower the slider to 80 if you need smaller files for email or web forms; below about 70, fine textures such as hair and foliage start to look smeared.
Expect the JPG to be larger than the HEIC — usually two to two-and-a-half times — because JPEG's compression is less efficient. That is normal and is the price of compatibility. Resolution is kept exactly: a 4032 × 3024 iPhone photo stays 4032 × 3024. Rotation is applied to the pixels, so the photo is upright in every viewer. Live Photo motion, depth maps and HDR gain maps are not carried into JPEG, because the format has no place for them; you get the main still image.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to convert HEIC to JPG online?
With this page, yes: the conversion runs in your browser and your photos are never uploaded. Upload-based converters may also be safe, but you have to trust how they store and delete your files.
How do I convert many HEIC photos at once?
Select or drop as many .heic files as you like. They convert one after another on your device, and Download all saves them as a single ZIP file.
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
Very little. At the default quality of 92 the JPG looks the same as the original at normal viewing sizes. The file gets larger, not worse-looking.
Why is my JPG bigger than the HEIC file?
HEIC compresses roughly twice as efficiently as JPEG. The same picture therefore needs more bytes as a JPG. Lower the quality slider if you need a smaller file.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. On iPhone, Safari can decode HEIC natively, so conversion is quick. Note that Safari limits canvas size, so very large photos such as 48-megapixel ProRAW-sized shots are scaled to about 16.7 megapixels; on a computer they stay full size.
Is the GPS location removed?
Yes. The JPG is created from the image pixels only, so GPS coordinates, camera model and other EXIF fields are not copied. The orientation is applied to the pixels so the photo still appears upright.
Can I convert HEIC to JPG on Windows without paying for the extension?
Yes. This page decodes HEIC itself, so you don't need the HEIF or HEVC extensions. Just open it in Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
What about Live Photos?
A Live Photo is a HEIC still plus a short video. Converting gives you the still image as a JPG; the motion part is not part of the JPEG format.
Updated · By the imagetojpg.app team