How to Convert HEIC to JPG (iPhone and iPad)

You transferred photos from your iPhone to your computer and they have a .heic extension instead of .jpg — and Windows or your system can't open them. This is common and has a simple fix. This guide explains what HEIC is, why iPhone uses it and how to convert to JPG quickly.

What is HEIC and why does iPhone use it

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is an image format based on the HEVC codec, developed by the MPEG group. Apple adopted HEIC as the default for photos taken with iPhone starting from iOS 11 (2017), on the iPhone 7 and later models.

The reason is simple: HEIC produces files up to 50% smaller than JPG at equivalent or superior visual quality. For a phone with a 48-megapixel camera taking hundreds of photos, the storage savings are significant. The problem is that HEIC is an Apple standard — Windows only gained partial native support in Windows 10 (build 1803), and many Android systems, websites, apps and software still don't recognize the format.

Why HEIC won't open in many places

• Windows without the extension installed: without the HEIF Image Extensions (free on the Microsoft Store), Windows won't display HEIC in File Explorer or Photos app.
• Android phones: Android has no native HEIC support — the photo simply won't open.
• Corporate email: more conservative email systems or older clients may not render HEIC inline.
• Web forms and systems: many upload sites only accept JPG/PNG/WEBP.
• Older editing software: Photoshop CS6, older GIMP versions and other editors may not recognize HEIC.

Method 1: convert on the iPhone itself before sharing

iPhone automatically converts to JPG when you share a photo outside the Apple ecosystem. When you use the Share button (the arrow-up icon) to send via WhatsApp, email or AirDrop to Android, the system delivers the file as JPG — without you doing anything.

To force this conversion when transferring via USB cable or exporting to Windows:

1. On iPhone, go to Settings → Photos
2. Scroll to "Transfer to Mac or PC"
3. Select "Automatic" instead of "Keep Originals"

With this setting, every cable transfer automatically converts to JPG before reaching the computer.

Method 2: set iPhone to always shoot in JPG

If you'd rather never deal with conversion again:

1. Go to Settings → Camera → Formats
2. Select "Most Compatible" instead of "High Efficiency"

From that point on, all new photos will be saved directly as JPG. Each photo will take more storage (back to standard JPG size), but compatibility will be universal with any system.

Method 3: convert on Windows

If you already have HEIC files on your computer and need to convert them:

1. Install the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store (search for "HEIF" in the store)
2. With the extension installed, Windows can open HEIC normally in the Photos app and Paint
3. Open the photo in Paint, click File → Save as and choose JPEG

Another Windows option is the native Photos app: open the HEIC, click the three-dot menu (…) → Save as → choose JPEG.

Method 4: convert on Mac

On Mac, HEIC is natively supported. To convert to JPG:

1. Open the HEIC file in Preview
2. Click File → Export
3. In the "Format" menu, choose JPEG
4. Adjust quality and click Save

To convert multiple files at once on Mac: select all in Finder, right-click → "Open With → Preview". In Preview, select all (Cmd+A), go to File → Export Selected Images and choose JPEG.

Converting HEIC online: privacy considerations

There are websites that convert HEIC to JPG online — but they upload your photos to third-party servers. For personal photos or sensitive documents, prefer the local methods described above. TinyFoto accepts JPG, PNG and WEBP — to compress or convert the resulting JPG after conversion, use the main tool.

Compress JPG now →