Quick answer
HEIC is the space-saving format iPhones use for photos by default, and many websites and older programs can’t read it. Convert it to JPG in your browser, export it as JPEG from Preview or Photos on a Mac, or switch the iPhone camera to “Most Compatible” so future photos are saved as JPG. Renaming the file from .heic to .jpg doesn’t work.
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC is the name Apple uses for photos saved in the High Efficiency Image File Format, HEIF. iPhones have used it by default since iOS 11 in 2017, because it keeps the same visual quality as JPG in about half the storage.
The catch is support. JPG has been readable almost everywhere for decades; HEIC isn’t. Many upload forms, online stores and older programs accept only JPG, and treat a HEIC file as unknown or broken, even when its name ends in .jpg. You can spot one by its name (.heic), or on an iPhone by swiping up on the photo in Photos to see its details.
Convert HEIC to JPG online, on any device
Our HEIC to JPG converter works in the browser on phones and computers, and converts the photo on your own device; it isn’t uploaded anywhere. You can then resize or compress it with the other image tools.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone
- When uploading from the iPhone itself: picking a photo in a website’s upload button usually sends it as JPG. If the site still complains, convert it first.
- For future photos: Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible saves new photos as JPG. Photos you’ve already taken stay in HEIC.
- When copying to a computer: Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic converts photos to JPG on the way.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac
- Preview: open the photo, choose File → Export, and pick JPEG (or PNG, if you need that instead).
- Photos app: select the photo, choose File → Export → Export 1 Photo, and set Photo Kind to JPEG.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 10 and 11
Windows may need the HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store before it can open HEIC photos, and the second can cost a small fee. Once they’re installed, open the photo in Paint and choose File → Save as → JPEG picture. Converting in the browser avoids installing anything.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Android
Android phones receive HEIC photos from iPhone users, and some, including many Samsung models, can also save photos as HEIF with a camera setting called “High efficiency pictures”; turn it off if websites reject your photos. To convert a HEIC photo you already have, use a browser converter, or check your gallery’s settings: some, including Samsung’s, can convert HEIF photos to JPG when you share them.
Convert HEIC to JPG without losing quality
A HEIC photo converted to JPG at a high quality setting looks the same. What does lose detail is saving a JPG again and again, because each save recompresses it. So convert once, from the original, and do any cropping or resizing from that copy. The JPG will be larger than the HEIC, often a few megabytes.
Need a PDF instead? Convert to JPG first, then use your device’s Print → Save as PDF.
What not to do
- Don’t rename the file. Changing .heic to .jpg leaves the contents in HEIC.
- Don’t screenshot the photo. A screenshot is a PNG with your screen’s pixels and less detail.
- Don’t send it through a messaging app to convert it. Messaging apps recompress and sometimes crop photos.
Next: make the photo smaller if a site has a size limit.
Questions people ask
Can I just rename .heic to .jpg?
No. Renaming leaves the contents in HEIC, and sites that check the contents will still refuse the file. Convert it instead.
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
Not visibly, if you convert once at a high quality setting from the original photo.
Why is the JPG bigger than the HEIC?
HEIC compresses photos about twice as efficiently as JPG, so the same photo takes more space as a JPG.
How do I stop my iPhone taking HEIC photos?
Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos will be saved as JPG.