How to convert HEIC photos to JPG

What a HEIC file is

HEIC is the extension of photos saved in the HEIF format (High Efficiency Image Format). Apple adopted it in iOS 11, and compatible iPhones and iPads (iPhone 7 and later) use it for new photos when the camera setting is on "High Efficiency". According to Apple, HEIF and HEVC offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less storage on the device and in iCloud while keeping the same image quality.

The problem is not the format itself but compatibility. Many websites, forms, programs and older versions of Windows cannot read HEIC, so a photo that looks perfect on your phone may be rejected on upload or fail to open on your computer. The universal format everyone accepts is JPG.

Option 1: convert in your browser (nothing to install)

This is the fastest route if the photos are already on your computer or phone and you only need a few:

1. Open the HEIC to JPG converter.
2. Drag your HEIC photos (one or several) into the box.
3. Choose JPG (almost always the best option) or PNG and download the result.

The conversion happens inside your browser: your photos are not uploaded to any server, which matters with personal pictures or photographed documents (ID, receipts). The conversion engine (about 3 MB) downloads the first time and is then quick. If you want the JPG to weigh less, run it through the image compressor afterwards.

Option 2: make the iPhone save photos as JPG

If you would rather not convert every time, change the capture format. According to Apple Support:

1. Open Settings and tap Camera.
2. Tap Formats and choose Most Compatible.

From then on, all new photos and videos use JPEG (and H.264 for video). To go back to the smaller formats, choose "High Efficiency". The downside: files are bigger and you will have less storage. This does not convert photos you already took; it only affects new ones.

Option 3: sometimes the iPhone converts when you share

Apple says that if you share photos by AirDrop, Messages or email and the receiving device does not support the newer formats, the content may be shared automatically in a more compatible format such as JPEG. And when importing from an iPhone connected over USB to Photos, Image Capture or a PC, the media might be converted to JPEG; if you do not want that, the setting is Settings → Apps → Photos → "Keep Originals". It is handy, but you cannot count on it every time: if a form rejects your photo, convert it yourself.

Option 4: on a Mac or Windows

• Mac. Open the HEIC image in Photos or Preview, go to File → Export and choose JPEG or PNG before saving. This is the method Apple describes.
• Windows. Depending on the version, you may need to install the HEIF image and HEVC video extensions from the Microsoft Store to view HEIC photos. To convert them, the simplest route is the browser converter from option 1.

JPG or PNG: which to choose

For almost everything, JPG: it is compact and accepted by any site, form or program. At a high quality setting (around 90) the difference from the original is very hard to see. Choose PNG only if you need a lossless copy, and expect a much larger file. For more on when to use each, see the guide to JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF.

What changes and what is lost

• Metadata. A converted file may not keep the date, location and other EXIF data of the original. If what you actually want is to remove them before sharing, the guide to removing EXIF data from a photo explains how to do it reliably.
• Extended brightness (HDR). Photos with extended brightness may look slightly different as a standard JPG, which cannot store that extra range.
• Live Photos. Only the still image is kept when converting, not the short video.
• Compression. Converting to JPG recompresses the image with a small loss of quality. If you plan to edit the photo, keep the HEIC original too.

If the site still rejects the converted photo

Check three things: that the extension really is .jpg (renaming a HEIC is not enough: it has to be converted), that the file size is under the limit (use the compressor or the image converter), and that the dimensions are not larger than allowed.

Sources and further reading

• Apple Support: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices

Figures checked on 3 October 2026.