Is HEIC lower quality than JPG?

No, quite the opposite: at the same file size HEIC generally looks better, and at the same quality it is smaller. The only real issue is compatibility.

Are my photos uploaded when I convert HEIC to JPG here?

Our tool converts inside your browser, so the files stay on your device. Other websites may work differently, so it is worth checking.

Why does a photo I emailed arrive as JPG?

When sharing through some apps, the iPhone may automatically convert the photo to JPG. This depends on the app and the size you choose, so results vary.

Can I convert HEIC to PNG?

Yes. PNG adds no further loss, but the file will be much larger than the HEIC or a JPG.

How to Open HEIC Files on Windows, Android and Mac

If you received a photo from an iPhone with a .heic extension and your computer will not open it, you did nothing wrong. HEIC is an efficient modern format, but not every program understands it yet. Here is how to open it, convert it to JPG, and avoid the problem in future.

What HEIC is and why iPhones use it

HEIC is a photo file based on the HEIF container with HEVC (H.265) compression. Apple began using it with iOS 11 (2017) because a photo of the same quality takes up much less space than a JPG. Apple says the saving is around half; the real difference depends on the picture.

HEIC can also store a wider range of colour information than JPG, several frames in one file (such as a Live Photo) and depth data for portrait shots. The catch is that the format relies on patented technology, so not every program or website supports it.

Opening HEIC on Windows

Windows 10 and 11 need extensions from the Microsoft Store: HEIF Image Extensions and, often, HEVC Video Extensions. The HEVC extension is sometimes paid, or already installed by the PC manufacturer. Once installed, thumbnails will also appear in File Explorer.

If you would rather not install anything, simply convert the HEIC to JPG in your browser. Our HEIC to JPG tool works on your device, so the photos are never uploaded.

Android and Mac

Newer Android versions (roughly Android 9 to 10 and up) usually open HEIC in the Gallery or Google Photos. If an older phone shows a blank thumbnail, you will need to convert the photo.

On a Mac, Preview and the Photos app open HEIC. To get a JPG, open the file in Preview, choose File > Export and select the JPEG format.

When a website or app rejects HEIC

Many forms, such as job applications, online shops or government portals, accept only JPG, PNG or PDF. In that case convert the photo to JPG. If you need transparency or exact preservation, choose PNG, but expect a larger file.

WebP is another option and is smaller, but not every form accepts it. When you do not know the requirements, JPG is the safest choice.

How to make an iPhone shoot JPG

If this keeps happening, change a setting on your phone: Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. From then on photos are saved as JPG (and videos as H.264). The trade-off is that files take up more space.

There is a second approach: Settings > Photos, and under Transfer to Mac or PC choose Automatic. The iPhone then converts photos to a compatible format when moving them to a computer, while keeping HEIC on the phone itself.

Quality notes

Converting HEIC to JPG means applying lossy compression again, so quality drops slightly, though for normal viewing the difference is usually invisible. If you plan to edit the photo seriously later, keep the original HEIC.

Also note that converting to JPG typically drops the wider HDR colour range and the motion of a Live Photo. You get an ordinary still image.

Step by step: HEIC to JPG in your browser

The quickest way without installing anything: open the HEIC to JPG converter, choose one or more photos and click convert. You then download the results as JPG files. Because the process runs in your browser, the photos do not travel to any server, which matters if they contain personal or family pictures.

If you have many photos, convert them in batches, since a very large number at once can strain the memory of a phone or an old computer. After converting, check that file names and dates are what you expected, because some metadata such as location tags may or may not survive, depending on the tool.

1. Click the file chooser and select your .heic photos.
2. Choose the output format: JPG for general use, PNG if you need exact preservation.
3. Click convert and wait for the files to be prepared.
4. Download the result and check one photo before deleting any originals.

Common mistakes and which method to pick

One common mistake is renaming the file extension from .heic to .jpg. It does not help: the inside of the file is still HEIC, and programs may simply show an error. Only a tool that re-encodes the image performs a real conversion.

Another: deleting the original HEIC files from the phone before checking that the JPG versions open. And a third: sending photos as a document or file when the recipient needs a JPG rather than HEIC. If you do not know what the other person will receive, it is safer to send a JPG.

A short checklist: one photo needed urgently as JPG, use the browser converter. Regularly moving photos to a Windows PC, turn on automatic transfer conversion or set the camera to Most Compatible. A phone short on storage, keep HEIC and convert only the photos you need.