You take a great photo on your iPhone, go to email it to a coworker or upload it to a website, and suddenly you hit a wall: the file is a HEIC, and the thing you are sending it to has no idea what to do with it. The image will not preview, the upload gets rejected, or the recipient opens an attachment they cannot view. It is one of the most common modern photo headaches, and it traces back to a single decision Apple made years ago to save storage space.
The fix is simple once you know it: convert the HEIC to JPG, the universally supported format that works everywhere, on every device, in every app. This guide explains exactly what HEIC is and why Apple uses it, the trade-offs of converting, and step-by-step methods to convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and through the browser, so you are never stuck again no matter what device you are holding. We will also cover how to stop the problem at the source by changing your iPhone's camera settings.
What Is HEIC and Why Does It Exist?
HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container, Apple's implementation of the HEIF format. Apple switched to it as the default camera format starting with iOS 11 because it is genuinely impressive technology: a HEIC file stores an image at roughly the same visual quality as a JPG while taking up about half the storage space. On a phone packed with thousands of photos, that adds up to gigabytes saved.
HEIC also supports features JPG cannot, such as storing multiple images in one file (which is how Live Photos and burst shots work) and richer color depth. The catch is compatibility. JPG has been around since the early 1990s and is supported by literally everything. HEIC is much newer and, despite improving support, still trips up plenty of apps, websites, older Windows machines, and non-Apple devices. That gap is the entire reason converting exists.
Should You Convert? The Trade-Offs
Converting HEIC to JPG is the right call when compatibility matters: emailing photos, uploading to a website that rejects HEIC, sharing with Android or Windows users, or editing in software that does not read HEIC. The downsides are minor but worth knowing.
- Slightly larger files. A JPG of the same image is typically larger than the HEIC original, since HEIC is more efficient. You can offset this by compressing afterward.
- A small quality consideration. HEIC and JPG are both lossy, so re-encoding involves a minor quality step. At normal quality settings the difference is invisible, but it is why you should keep your HEIC originals rather than deleting them after converting.
- Loss of HEIC-only features. Live Photo motion and other multi-image data do not carry over to a single static JPG.
For everyday sharing and uploading, these trade-offs are negligible. Keep the HEIC master, convert a JPG copy when you need it, and you get the best of both.
The Universal Method: Convert in Your Browser
The single approach that works identically on every device, iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, is a browser-based converter, because it does not depend on any installed software.
- Open the convert to JPG tool in any browser.
- Upload your HEIC file (or several at once for batch conversion).
- Download the converted JPG.
This is the recommended method for most people because it sidesteps every device-specific quirk. It works the same whether you are on a phone or a ten-year-old laptop, and it handles multiple files in one go. If you need the resulting JPGs smaller for the web, follow up with a compress images pass.
Converting on iPhone and iPad
You have several options on Apple devices.
Change the Camera Setting (Stop the Problem at the Source)
The cleanest fix is to make your iPhone shoot JPG from the start. Go to Settings, Camera, Formats and select Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency. From then on, your camera saves JPG files directly and you never deal with HEIC again. Existing photos stay HEIC, but new ones will be JPG.
Convert Existing Photos via the Files App
To convert photos you already took, an easy trick is to copy the image and paste it, or simply email a photo to yourself, since iOS often converts HEIC to JPG automatically when sharing to apps that do not support HEIC. For deliberate conversion, save the photo into the Files app and use a shortcut or share-sheet action that exports as JPEG.
Use the Browser Converter
When in doubt, the convert to JPG tool works perfectly in Safari on iPhone, no app to install.
Converting on Android
Android phones do not natively shoot HEIC (most save JPG by default), but you may receive HEIC files from iPhone-using friends. To convert them:
- Browser converter: Open the convert to JPG tool in Chrome, upload the HEIC, and download the JPG. This is the simplest path.
- Google Photos: Uploading a HEIC to Google Photos and re-downloading it often returns a JPG.
- A dedicated app from the Play Store works too, though for occasional conversions the browser method avoids cluttering your phone with extra apps.
Converting on Windows
Windows handling of HEIC has improved but is still inconsistent across machines.
Built-in Conversion
On recent versions of Windows with the HEIF/HEVC extensions installed, you can open a HEIC in the Photos app and use Save as to export it as JPG. If your machine cannot open HEIC at all, you are missing the codec extension.
Browser Converter
The reliable, no-setup option is the convert to JPG tool in any browser. It works regardless of which codecs your Windows install happens to have, which is why it is the recommended route for most Windows users.
Converting on Mac
Macs read HEIC natively, so conversion is straightforward.
Using Preview
Open the HEIC in Preview, choose File, Export, and select JPEG as the format. You can adjust a quality slider before saving. For multiple files, select them all in Finder, open in Preview, and use Export Selected Images.
Using Photos
In the Photos app, select images and drag them to the desktop while holding the right modifier, or use File, Export and choose JPEG. The browser converter also works on Mac if you prefer not to use Apple's tools.
Method Comparison
| Method | Works on | Setup needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser converter | Every device | None | Universal, batch, no install |
| iPhone camera setting | iPhone/iPad | One-time toggle | Preventing HEIC entirely |
| Mac Preview/Photos | Mac | None | Quick local conversion |
| Windows Photos | Windows (with codec) | Codec extension | Local conversion if supported |
| Google Photos | Android/any | Google account | Already using Google Photos |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Deleting the HEIC original after converting. Keep the master in case you need to re-export at higher quality later. Converting from a JPG copy compounds quality loss.
- Converting one at a time when you have dozens. Use a batch-capable converter to do them all at once and save serious time.
- Skipping compression for web use. A converted JPG can be large. If it is going on a website, run it through a compress images pass and a resize tool to keep page speed up.
- Assuming every device supports HEIC now. Support has improved but is far from universal. When sharing widely, JPG is still the safe choice.
- Forgetting the camera setting fix. If you constantly convert iPhone photos, just switch the camera to Most Compatible and stop the problem at its source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?
There is a tiny, generally invisible quality step because both formats are lossy and the image is re-encoded. At normal quality settings you will not see a difference. To be safe, keep your HEIC originals and convert copies, rather than repeatedly re-saving the same JPG.
Why are my JPG files bigger than the HEIC originals?
Because HEIC is a more efficient format, it stores the same image in roughly half the space. A JPG of equal visual quality is simply larger. If file size matters, run the converted JPG through a compress images tool to bring it back down.
Can I convert HEIC to JPG without installing any software?
Yes. The convert to JPG tool runs in any web browser on any device, so you can convert without installing anything. This is the most universal method and handles multiple files at once.
How do I stop my iPhone from creating HEIC files?
Go to Settings, Camera, Formats, and choose Most Compatible. Your camera will then save new photos as JPG instead of HEIC. Existing photos remain HEIC, but you will not create new ones.
Can I convert many HEIC files at once?
Yes. A batch-capable converter like the convert to JPG tool lets you upload multiple HEIC files and convert them all in a single operation, which is far faster than handling them one by one.
Final Thoughts
HEIC is genuinely good technology that saves storage and supports modern features, but its patchy compatibility makes converting to JPG a regular necessity. The most reliable approach across every platform is a browser-based convert to JPG tool, since it needs no software and handles batches. On a Mac, Preview is quick; on iPhone, the smartest move is switching the camera to Most Compatible so you stop generating HEIC in the first place. Whatever route you take, keep your originals, compress the results for web use, and you will never again be stuck with a photo your device refuses to open.
This article was originally published on AI Tools IMG — a free platform with 17 image editing and AI tools that work in your browser.
