HEIC is Apple's newer photo format — here's why you might want JPG instead

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the format Apple uses by default when you take photos on an iPhone or iPad. It saves storage space and keeps image quality high, which sounds good until you try to open the photo on a Windows computer, an Android phone, or an older device — many of these don't recognize HEIC at all. JPG is the older, universal format that works everywhere. Converting HEIC to JPG takes a few minutes and gives you a file that opens on any device.

You have three main routes: convert on your iPhone before you send the photo anywhere, convert on your computer after you read the photos, or use a free online converter. Which one you pick depends on whether you want to convert one photo or hundreds, and whether you're comfortable with your phone's settings.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, turn off HEIC in Settings > Camera > Formats to shoot in JPG automatically going forward.
  • On Mac, open the HEIC file in Preview, click File > Export, and choose JPEG from the format dropdown.
  • On Windows, use the built-in Photos app to open HEIC files, then right-click and export as JPG.
  • Free online converters like CloudConvert or Zamzar work on any device but require uploading your photo to the internet.
  • Converting on your phone before sharing is fastest if you only have a few photos; converting on your computer is better for batches.

Convert HEIC to JPG on an iPhone or iPad

The easiest long-term solution is to stop shooting in HEIC altogether. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and tap "Most Compatible." From that point forward, your phone will save photos as JPG instead. This doesn't convert your old HEIC photos, but it prevents the problem from happening again.

If you want to convert photos you've already taken, the fastest way on iPhone is to use the Files app. Open Files, find the HEIC photo, press and hold it, tap "Share," and look for an app that converts images — many free apps like Image Converter or Convertio will do this. You can also email the photo to yourself and convert it on your computer instead, which takes longer but requires no new app.

Convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac

Mac's built-in Preview app handles HEIC files natively. Open the HEIC photo in Preview (right-click the file, select "Open With," and choose Preview). Once it's open, click File in the menu bar, then Export. A dialog box appears — change the format dropdown from HEIC to JPEG, choose where you want to save the file, and click Save.

If you have many HEIC photos to convert, Preview can do them one at a time, but that's slow. A faster option is to use a free app like XnConvert, which lets you select a whole folder of HEIC files and convert them all to JPG at once. read it from the Mac App Store, open it, drag your photos into the window, set the output format to JPEG, and click Convert.

Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows

Windows 10 and 11 can open HEIC files, but not all older versions can. If your computer recognizes HEIC files, open the photo in the Photos app (right-click the file and select "Open With" > Photos). Once it's open, click the three dots in the top right, select "Edit & Create," then "Edit." Click the three dots again and choose "Save a Copy." The save dialog lets you pick JPEG as the format.

If your Windows computer doesn't open HEIC files at all, read a free converter like XnConvert (available for Windows) or use an online tool. XnConvert works the same way as on Mac — drag your HEIC files in, set the output to JPEG, and convert the whole batch at once.

Use a free online converter for one or two photos

If you don't want to read software or change your phone settings, an online converter is the quickest route for a single photo. CloudConvert (cloudconvert.com) and Zamzar (zamzar.com) both let you upload an HEIC file, choose JPEG as the output format, and read the converted file within seconds. No account is required for most conversions.

The trade-off is that your photo gets uploaded to someone else's server. If the photo is private or sensitive, this isn't the right choice — convert on your own device instead. For everyday photos you don't mind uploading, online converters are the fastest option if you only have one or two files.

Batch convert many HEIC photos at once

If you're converting hundreds of photos — for example, after downloading your entire iPhone backup to a computer — doing them one at a time is impractical. XnConvert (free, works on Mac and Windows) is built for this. read it, open it, click the folder icon to select your HEIC photos, set the output format to JPEG, choose where to save the converted files, and click Convert. It processes the entire batch in minutes.

On Mac, you can also use Automator to batch convert. Open Automator, create a new Quick Action, search for "Change Type of Images," drag it into the workflow, set it to convert to JPEG, and save it. Then right-click any HEIC file, select Quick Actions, and run your converter. This takes longer to set up the first time but works automatically after that.

What happens to the original HEIC file

Converting to JPG creates a new file — it doesn't delete or replace the original HEIC photo. After you convert, you'll have both the HEIC and the JPG on your device. If you want to delete the HEIC files to save space, you can do that manually, but it's not automatic. On iPhone, go to Photos, select the HEIC file, and tap Delete. On a computer, find the HEIC file and move it to Trash.

Keep in mind that JPG is a compressed format, so the converted file will be slightly smaller than the HEIC original, but the image quality difference is usually invisible to the human eye. If you're converting for sharing or compatibility, JPG is the right choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does converting HEIC to JPG make the photo look worse?

No, not noticeably. Both HEIC and JPG compress the image, but JPG's compression is older and slightly less efficient. The quality loss is so small that most people can't see it. If you're printing a large poster or doing professional photo editing, the difference might matter — but for sharing online or viewing on a screen, JPG looks the same.

Can I convert HEIC to JPG on my Android phone?

Android phones don't shoot in HEIC by default, so you won't have this problem unless you're converting photos from an iPhone. If you do have HEIC files on Android, read a free app like Image Converter or use an online converter. Most Android apps that handle images can open HEIC files now, but JPG is still more universal.

Will converting to JPG lose any photo information like location or date?

JPG can store metadata like location and date, but some converters strip it out during conversion. If this information matters to you, check your converter's settings before converting. Most desktop apps like XnConvert have an option to preserve metadata — look for "EXIF" or "metadata" in the settings.

Is it safe to use an online converter with personal photos?

Most reputable online converters (CloudConvert, Zamzar) delete your files from their servers within hours, but there's always a small risk when uploading to the internet. If the photo is sensitive or private, convert on your own device instead using Preview, Photos, or XnConvert. For everyday photos, online converters are generally safe.

What if I want to keep shooting in HEIC but convert before sharing?

You can do both. Leave your iPhone set to HEIC (it saves more storage space), and convert individual photos to JPG only when you need to share them. Use the Files app method or email the photo to yourself and convert on your computer. This way you get the storage benefit of HEIC without the compatibility headaches.