How to convert an iPhone HEIC photo to JPG (Windows, Mac, iPhone, Linux)
You send a photo from an iPhone to a laptop or a web form and get an odd <code>.heic</code> file that won't open or won't upload. Nothing is broken: it's a different file format, and it converts in a minute.
What HEIC is
HEIC is Apple's name for a photo stored in the HEIF container using HEVC (H.265) compression, the same method used for modern video. At the same visible quality it is often around half the size of a JPEG, which is why iPhones have used it by default for years. The trouble is support: many Windows PCs, older software and plenty of upload forms only take JPEG or PNG.
Convert on a Mac
- One photo: open it in Preview, choose File › Export…, set Format to JPEG and pick a quality.
- Several photos: select them in Finder, right-click, Quick Actions › Convert Image, choose JPEG. The originals stay as they are.
- Terminal:
sips -s format jpeg photo.heic --out photo.jpg
Convert on Windows
Windows needs a codec to read HEIC. Install HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store (it's free, and recent Windows 11 builds often have it already). Some PCs also ask for HEVC Video Extensions, which may carry a small charge; the device-manufacturer version is free where it's offered. Once it opens in the Photos app, use … › Save as and choose .jpg.
Convert on Linux
# Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt install libheif-examples
heif-convert photo.heic photo.jpg # newer libheif also has heif-dec
# ImageMagick, if it was built with HEIF support
magick photo.heic -quality 90 photo.jpg
# a whole folder
for f in *.heic; do heif-convert "$f" "${f%.heic}.jpg"; doneConvert in the browser, without uploading
Safari on recent Macs, iPhones and iPads can read HEIC itself. In Safari, open the image compressor, drop the photos in, set Save as to JPEG and download; nothing leaves your device. Chrome, Edge and Firefox generally cannot decode HEIC, and the page will tell you so rather than produce a broken file. Converting this way also drops the hidden location data, which is handy if the photo is going online.
Stop getting HEIC in the first place
- New photos as JPEG: on the iPhone go to Settings › Camera › Formats and pick Most Compatible. Files get larger, but every app can open them.
- Keep HEIC on the phone, get JPEG on the PC: Settings › Photos › Transfer to Mac or PC set to Automatic converts photos when you copy them over a cable.
- Sharing: Mail and many apps convert to JPEG on the way out. AirDrop and some cloud apps keep the original HEIC.
Background in plain English: what a HEIC file is and why it is smaller than a JPEG, on Wirebook.
Related
Windows Photos import not working · iPhone photos won't copy to Windows · Back up photos to an external drive · How much cloud storage do I need? · Check the JPG for location before sending · Image compressor (in your browser) · Batch photo rotator · Photo sideways in Word, Outlook or email · Get a photo under 100 KB for a form · Megapixels vs file size
Questions
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
Slightly, because the picture is re-compressed. At a JPEG quality of 85 to 92 the difference is very hard to see, but the file will usually be bigger than the HEIC.
Why won't my HEIC photo upload to a website?
Many upload forms only accept JPEG or PNG. Convert it to JPG first, or set the iPhone camera to Most Compatible for future photos.
Can I convert HEIC to JPG without uploading it to a website?
Yes. Preview on a Mac, Photos on Windows with the HEIF extension, or heif-convert on Linux all work offline. In Safari, Tooltern's image compressor converts it inside the browser.
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
Nearly. HEIF is the container format; HEIC is a HEIF file whose image uses HEVC compression, which is what iPhones produce.
Published · updated .