Since iOS 11, iPhones save photos as HEIC by default. The format keeps the same visual quality as JPG at roughly half the file size, which is great for storage, but not for compatibility. Older Windows PCs, many upload forms, print kiosks and marketplaces still refuse HEIC.
Here are the quickest ways to get a JPG, depending on the device in front of you.
Option 1: Convert in the browser (any device)
The fastest method that works everywhere is an in-browser converter. Open the HEIC to JPG converter, drop your photos and download the JPGs, one by one or as a ZIP.
- Nothing is uploaded. The conversion runs on your own device, which matters for personal photos.
- Batch friendly. You can add a whole folder at once.
- Correct orientation. The rotation tag from the iPhone is applied, so photos come out the right way up.
Option 2: Windows Photos app
Windows 10 and 11 can open HEIC files after you install two free extensions from the Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions (on some PCs the HEVC one is a paid download). Once installed:
- Open the photo in the Photos app.
- Choose Save as from the menu.
- Pick JPG as the file type.
This works well for a handful of photos but becomes slow for dozens.
Option 3: Preview on a Mac
macOS reads HEIC natively.
- Open the photo in Preview.
- Choose File → Export.
- Set the format to JPEG, adjust quality if needed and save.
To convert many photos, select them all in Preview's sidebar, then use File → Export Selected Images.
Option 4: Make your iPhone save JPG
If you would rather never see HEIC again, change the camera format on the iPhone:
- Open Settings → Camera → Formats.
- Choose Most Compatible.
New photos will be saved as JPG. Existing photos stay HEIC. There is also Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic, which makes the iPhone convert photos to JPG when you copy them to a computer with a cable.
Which method should you use?
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| A few photos on any device | Browser converter |
| You have a Mac | Preview export |
| Photos keep coming from an iPhone | Switch the camera to Most Compatible |
| Need PNG or a PDF instead | HEIC to PNG or HEIC to PDF |
Does converting lose quality?
JPG is a lossy format, so converting re-encodes the image. At 85–95% quality the difference is invisible in normal viewing and printing. The JPG will usually be larger than the original HEIC, simply because HEIC compresses more efficiently.