How to convert HEIC to JPG
- Get the HEIC photos onto this device, AirDrop, a USB cable, iCloud Photos or emailing them to yourself all work.
- Drop the
.heic(or.heif) files into the box above; whole batches are fine. - Set the JPG quality slider, 90% keeps the photo looking untouched, then download each JPG or hit Download all.
Why do iPhones use HEIC, and why convert it?
Since iOS 11 in 2017, iPhones and iPads have saved photos as HEIC, a container built around the HEVC codec that fits the same image into roughly half the space of a JPG. For Apple's ecosystem that's a clear win: sharper photos, more of them per gigabyte. The problem starts the moment a photo leaves that ecosystem.
Send a HEIC to a Windows PC without the add-on codec, an older Android phone, a print shop, or most website upload forms, and it simply won't open. Converting to JPG makes the photo universal again. Doing it here means no dubious desktop apps, no watermarks and no accounts, and because the HEIC decoder runs inside your browser, your photos never leave the device. The very first file loads a small decoder (about a second); everything after that is instant and local.
One thing to expect: the JPG will usually be larger than the HEIC it came from, sometimes twice the size, because JPG's older compression isn't as efficient. If a form has a tight size cap, run the result through a compressor afterwards.
HEIC vs JPG: what you trade
Converting is the right move for compatibility, but it's worth knowing what each format brings:
- File size: HEIC wins, about half of JPG for the same picture.
- Compatibility: JPG wins, hands down; it opens on essentially every device and service ever made.
- Extra data: HEIC can hold things like depth maps and wider colour, which JPG can't, usually irrelevant once you're sharing or printing.
- Editing history: keep the original HEIC if you might want the highest-quality source later; use the JPG as the shareable copy.
Want the smallest possible file for a website rather than a JPG? Convert your photos to WebP after this step.
Frequently asked questions
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the format iPhones and iPads have shot by default since iOS 11 in 2017. It wraps HEVC-compressed images, storing the same photo at roughly half the size of JPG. The catch is reach: Windows without an add-on, many Android phones, older editors and a lot of websites still can't open it.
How do I open HEIC photos on Windows?
The simplest route is to convert them to JPG. Drop your .heic files on this page and download JPGs that open in Photos, Office, browsers and everything else, no paid codec pack from the Microsoft Store, no app install, no fiddling with settings.
Are my iPhone photos uploaded when I convert them?
No. The HEIC decoder loads and runs inside your browser, so your photos are processed on your own device and never sent anywhere. That matters for family photos, snapshots of documents, and anything personal.
How do I stop my iPhone from shooting HEIC?
Open Settings → Camera → Formats and choose “Most Compatible”, new photos will be captured as JPG. Photos you've already taken stay HEIC, so you'll still convert those here.
Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?
Slightly, but not visibly at 90%. HEIC is already lossy and JPG is a second lossy pass, so keeping quality at 90% or above makes the difference imperceptible. Expect the JPG to be larger than the HEIC, often double the size or more, since JPG is a less efficient format.
Can I convert Live Photos or HEIF files?
This tool handles .heic and .heif still images. A Live Photo's still frame converts fine; the short video component isn't part of a HEIC conversion. Batches of regular HEIC photos convert together and download in one go.