How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Any Device

Quick answer: To convert HEIC to JPG, open the photos in a converter that can decode HEIC, choose JPG as the output and download the converted files. You can also stop the problem at the source by setting your iPhone camera to save JPG instead.

What a HEIC file is

HEIC is the file type iPhones and iPads use for photos by default since iOS 11. It is based on HEIF, the High Efficiency Image File Format, standardized as ISO/IEC 23008-12. HEIF is a container; HEIC is the variant whose images are compressed with HEVC (H.265), the same codec family used for modern video.

HEVC compression keeps similar visual quality to JPG at a smaller file size, which saves storage on the phone. HEIF can also hold extras such as depth maps, image sequences and HDR data.

The downside is compatibility. JPG has been readable almost everywhere for decades, while HEIC support varies. Windows may need the HEIF and HEVC extensions from the Microsoft Store, and many older apps, printing kiosks and upload forms accept only JPG or PNG.

JPG or PNG: which output to choose

For almost all photos, JPG at high quality is the right choice. PNG cannot recover detail that HEVC compression already removed; it only prevents additional loss in later edits.

How to use the free HEIC to JPG Converter

1. Open the HEIC to JPG Converter.
2. In Convert to, choose JPG or PNG.
3. In JPG quality, choose High (92%), Balanced (80%) or Small (65%). This setting applies to JPG output.
4. Drag your files onto the box labeled Drop iPhone HEIC or HEIF photos here, or click it to choose them. You can select many photos at once.
5. The first time, the tool loads its HEIC decoder (about 1 MB). It then converts each photo and shows the progress.
6. Click Download next to a photo, or Download all as ZIP when you converted two or more.

Conversion happens in your browser; the photos are not uploaded to a server. Files that are not HEIC or HEIF are skipped and listed after the conversion. Set the options before adding files, because conversion starts as soon as the files are added.

Worked example: 20 holiday photos

You copied 20 photos named IMG_0101.HEIC to IMG_0120.HEIC from an iPhone to a Windows laptop, and a photo-printing website rejects them.

1. Choose JPG and High (92%), because the photos will be printed.
2. Select all 20 files in the drop box. The status reads Converting 1 of 20: IMG_0101.HEIC… and counts up.
3. Each result keeps its name with a new extension, such as IMG_0101.jpg, and shows the original and new file size.
4. Click Download all as ZIP to save heic-converted.zip, extract it and upload the JPG files.

Expect the JPG files to be larger than the HEIC originals, especially at High quality, because JPG compresses less efficiently. If file size matters more than print quality, choose Balanced (80%).

Common mistakes

• Renaming the file. Changing .HEIC to .jpg does not convert anything; the data is still HEIC and most apps will refuse to open it.
• Expecting Live Photos to move. A Live Photo is a still image plus a separate short video. Only the still image is converted.
• Choosing PNG for sharing. PNG files of photos are much larger than JPG and can exceed email or upload limits.
• Converting twice. Converting a JPG back and forth through other formats adds compression loss each time. Convert once from the original HEIC.
• Assuming metadata is kept. Browser-based conversion does not keep EXIF details such as the capture date and GPS location. Keep the originals if you need them.

Avoiding HEIC in the first place

On an iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible to save new photos as JPG. This uses more storage per photo.

Alternatively, keep High Efficiency and set Settings > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic, which converts photos to a compatible format when you copy them to a computer over a cable. Neither setting changes photos already taken.