Convert HEIC to JPG, free and instant.

The complete guide

Everything to know about converting HEIC to JPG

JPG is the format almost everything on the internet expects, which is exactly why converting to it is the most common reason people end up here. This page covers why iPhones save photos as HEIC in the first place, what actually happens to your photo during conversion, and how to get the best results whether you're converting one photo or a few hundred.

Why iPhones save photos as HEIC in the first place

Apple switched to HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) back in iOS 11 because it compresses photos to roughly half the size of a JPG at comparable quality. That's great for saving space on your phone, but HEIC isn't as widely supported outside Apple's ecosystem — plenty of Windows apps, older Android phones, and web forms still expect a plain JPG. The result is that HEIC files work perfectly within Apple's own apps but occasionally hit a wall the moment they leave that ecosystem.

What happens to quality when you convert?

Converting HEIC to JPG does involve re-encoding the image, so there's a small amount of generational compression. At the default 85% quality used here, the difference is invisible to the eye in almost every case. If you're archiving a photo you care about, nudge the quality slider toward 100%; if you're just attaching a photo to an email or uploading it to a form, a lower setting keeps the file small without much visible change. It's worth experimenting once with a photo you know well — drag the slider and compare — so you have a feel for where the trade-off sits before converting anything you'd hate to lose detail on.

Step by step: converting HEIC to JPG here

The process is intentionally short. Drop one or more HEIC files into the box above, or click "Choose files" to pick them from your device. Each file starts converting immediately — there's no separate "start" button to hunt for. As each photo finishes, a download link appears next to it; if you've converted several at once, the "Download all" button saves you clicking through each one individually. Nothing is uploaded at any point in this process, so it works the same whether you're on fast office wifi or a spotty mobile connection, and it keeps working even if your connection drops mid-conversion since the network was never actually involved in the conversion step itself.

HEIC to JPG on iPhone vs. other devices

If you're doing this directly from an iPhone, you can also export a JPG copy natively: open the photo in the Photos app, tap Share, and many destinations — Mail to a non-Apple address, certain third-party apps — will automatically convert HEIC to JPG behind the scenes. You can also permanently switch your camera's format under Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible, though that roughly doubles the storage each new photo uses. On a Mac, Preview's File → Export panel handles it natively. On Windows, you'll need the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store before the Photos app can even open a HEIC file, let alone export it. A browser-based tool like this one sidesteps all of those differences — the steps are identical no matter which device you're holding.

Choosing the right quality setting for what you're doing

Not every photo needs the same quality setting. For photos headed to social media or a group chat, something in the 60–75% range is usually indistinguishable after the platform's own compression kicks in anyway, and it uploads faster. For a photo you're submitting alongside a job application, a form, or anything official, staying at 85% or above keeps the image looking sharp regardless of how the recipient views it. For anything you're printing physically — at a photo lab, in a book, or framed — push the slider to 95–100% so you're not compounding compression loss on top of the print process's own handling.

Common problems and how to fix them

A few issues come up occasionally: if a file seems stuck on "Converting," it's usually a very large image or a Live Photo's video component accidentally included in the batch — try converting it on its own. If a converted photo looks rotated, that generally traces back to how orientation metadata in the original file is interpreted, and re-exporting from the source (rather than a screenshot of it) usually resolves it. If your browser blocks the download, check that pop-ups or downloads aren't disabled for this site in your browser settings.

Where JPG makes the most sense

• Uploading to a website, job application, or online form
• Sending photos to someone on a Windows PC or Android phone
• Printing at a photo lab or drugstore kiosk
• Attaching to an email without hitting size limits
• Posting to social media or messaging apps

When PNG might be the better call instead

JPG is the right default for most situations, but if you're about to edit the photo further in design software, need a fully lossless archival copy, or you're placing the image somewhere that specifically calls for a lossless format, our HEIC to PNG converter is worth using instead. Our HEIC vs. JPG comparison walks through that decision in more depth if you're not sure which applies to your situation.