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HEIC Converter – Open iPhone Photos Anywhere

Convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG. Open Apple photos on Windows and Android instantly.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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What is HEIC?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's default photo format on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 (2017). It stores images using HEVC (H.265) compression, delivering better quality than JPG at roughly half the file size.

For Apple users, HEIC is seamless—photos look great and take less storage. The problem? Windows, Android, and many websites can't open HEIC files. When you share iPhone photos, recipients often get error messages instead of images.

Converting HEIC to JPG solves this instantly. The resulting JPG works everywhere—Windows, Android, web uploads, email, social media, and any device or platform.

Why Convert HEIC Files?

HEIC's compatibility issues affect nearly everyone who shares iPhone photos:

  • Windows can't open HEIC – Windows Photo Viewer shows errors; you need special codecs or conversion
  • Android doesn't support HEIC – Android phones can't view HEIC photos from iPhone
  • Website uploads fail – Many sites only accept JPG, PNG, or GIF uploads
  • Email previews don't work – Recipients see attachments they can't open
  • Social media rejection – Some platforms don't process HEIC uploads
  • Print services need JPG – Photo printing services require JPG or PNG
  • Older Mac apps struggle – Software before 2017 doesn't recognize HEIC

Converting to JPG creates universally compatible photos that work everywhere.

Convert HEIC to Other Formats

HEIC to JPG

The most common and recommended conversion. JPG works on every device, every platform, every application. Quality difference is imperceptible for typical photo use. This solves 99% of HEIC compatibility problems.

HEIC to PNG

Choose PNG when you need lossless quality or transparency (if the HEIC has it). PNG files are larger than JPG but preserve exact quality. Good for screenshots or images you'll edit extensively.

HEIC to PDF

Create documents from iPhone photos. Combine multiple HEIC images into a single PDF for sharing or archiving. Useful for document scans taken with iPhone.

HEIC to TIFF

For professional printing workflows that require TIFF format. Preserves maximum quality for large prints.

HEIC to WebP

Modern web format with excellent compression. Good for website use while maintaining small file sizes.

Convert to HEIC from Other Formats

Converting to HEIC is less common but useful for:

JPG to HEIC

Reduce storage on Apple devices. HEIC is roughly 50% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality. Useful if you're moving photos onto an iPhone or iPad.

PNG to HEIC

Compress large PNG files for Apple device storage while maintaining good quality.

Note on HEIC Creation

Most people convert FROM HEIC, not TO it. HEIC only makes sense if your recipients are on Apple devices. For sharing, JPG remains the universal standard.

HEIC Technical Specifications

  • Full name: High Efficiency Image Container
  • Developer: MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), adopted by Apple
  • Introduced: iOS 11 (September 2017)
  • File extensions: .heic, .heif
  • MIME type: image/heic, image/heif
  • Compression: HEVC (H.265), lossy or lossless
  • Color depth: Up to 16-bit
  • Transparency: Supported
  • Typical savings: 40-50% smaller than equivalent JPG

HEIC Compatibility

Devices That Support HEIC

  • iPhone (iOS 11+)
  • iPad (iOS 11+)
  • Mac (macOS High Sierra+)
  • Windows 10/11 (with HEVC codec installed)
  • Some newer Android devices (Android 9+, varies by manufacturer)

Devices That DON'T Support HEIC

  • Windows without HEVC codec (most default installations)
  • Older Android phones
  • Linux (most distributions)
  • Older Mac computers
  • Most web browsers (can't display HEIC directly)
  • Many photo editing applications

How to Convert HEIC Files

  1. Upload your HEIC files – Drag and drop from your computer. Batch upload multiple photos at once.
  2. Select your output format – JPG for universal compatibility (recommended), PNG for lossless quality.
  3. Download converted photos – Get JPG files that open anywhere, on any device.

Conversion is instant. Your photos are processed securely and not stored on our servers.

Stop iPhones from Taking HEIC Photos

If you'd rather have JPG directly from your iPhone:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone
  2. Go to Camera
  3. Tap Formats
  4. Select "Most Compatible" instead of "High Efficiency"

Your photos will now save as JPG. Note: files will be larger and take more storage.

HEIC vs JPG Quality

For typical photo sharing, you won't see quality differences:

  • HEIC advantage: 40-50% smaller files at equivalent quality
  • JPG advantage: Works everywhere, universal compatibility
  • Visible difference: Negligible for social media, email, and normal viewing
  • Professional use: Keep HEIC originals for maximum quality; export JPG for sharing

For most users, converting HEIC to JPG for sharing is the practical choice. Keep HEIC originals on your iPhone for storage efficiency.

Pro Tip

When transferring iPhone photos to Windows via USB, set your iPhone to transfer as JPG automatically: Settings > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC > Automatic. This converts on-the-fly without needing separate conversion.

Common Mistake

Installing random 'HEIC viewer' software from the internet. Many are bloatware or contain unwanted programs. Converting online is safer—no software to install, no risk of malware.

Best For

Sharing iPhone photos with Windows and Android users, uploading to websites that don't accept HEIC, email attachments, and print services. JPG works everywhere.

Not Recommended

Converting and deleting HEIC originals. Keep the HEIC files on your iPhone—they're smaller and higher quality. Only convert copies for sharing.

Frequently Asked Questions

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's photo format used on iPhones since 2017. It stores photos at half the file size of JPG with equivalent quality. However, Windows and Android can't open HEIC without special software.

Windows doesn't include HEIC support by default. You need to install the HEVC codec from Microsoft Store (sometimes paid) or convert HEIC to JPG. Converting is free and creates files that work without extra software.

Upload your HEIC file, select JPG as output, and download. The conversion is instant. The resulting JPG works on any device—Windows, Android, web browsers, email, and all applications.

Minimal quality loss that's invisible in normal use. Both HEIC and JPG use lossy compression. Our converter uses high-quality settings (92%) that preserve detail. For casual sharing, you won't notice any difference.

Yes. Batch upload as many HEIC files as you need. All files convert simultaneously and download together. This saves time when processing an entire photo library.

Apple made HEIC the default because it saves storage—photos are 50% smaller than JPG at the same quality. Your iPhone can hold twice as many photos. You can switch to JPG in Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible.

Newer Android phones (Android 9+) may support HEIC, but it varies by manufacturer. Many Android devices can't open HEIC at all. Converting to JPG guarantees compatibility with all Android phones.

Almost. HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) is the container format; HEIC is HEIF with HEVC compression. Apple uses .heic extension. Both terms refer to the same iPhone photo format and convert the same way.

Keep originals as HEIC on your iPhone for storage efficiency. Convert to JPG when sharing with others or uploading to services that don't accept HEIC. This gives you the best of both worlds.

HEIC can contain special content like Live Photos, depth maps, or HDR data. Standard converters extract the main photo. If a file fails, it may be corrupted or contain unsupported data—try a different file.

HEIC Conversions & Related Converters

Quick access to the most commonly used file conversions.