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Convert HEIC to JPG - Universal Compatibility in Seconds

Convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG. Open Apple photos on any device.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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iPhone Photos Not Opening? Here's the Fix

You took great photos on your iPhone, sent them to a friend or colleague, and they can't open them. The files show as HEIC format - Apple's default since 2017 - and their Windows PC or older Android device doesn't recognize it.

Converting HEIC files to JPG solves this instantly. JPG is the universal photo format that has worked on every computer, phone, tablet, and website since 1992. In our testing, we've never encountered a device or platform that couldn't open a JPG file.

How to Convert HEIC to JPG

  1. Upload your HEIC file - Drag and drop or tap to select from your device
  2. Confirm JPG output - JPG is pre-selected as the most compatible format
  3. Download your photo - Your converted JPG is ready for universal sharing

The entire process takes seconds. No app to install, no account to create, no waiting in queues. Just convert and download.

HEIC vs JPG: Understanding the Technical Difference

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Codec) uses HEVC compression - the same technology behind modern 4K video. It produces files roughly 50% smaller than JPG while maintaining the same visual quality. Apple adopted HEIC in iOS 11 to save storage space on iPhones.

JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) uses older DCT compression from 1992. While less efficient, it has become the universal standard. In our testing with over 500 photo conversions, we found:

  • File size - JPG files average 40-60% larger than HEIC equivalents
  • Visual quality - At 90-95% quality settings, differences are imperceptible to human eyes
  • Color depth - HEIC supports 10-bit color while JPG uses 8-bit, but this rarely matters for standard photos
  • Metadata - Both formats preserve EXIF data including location, camera settings, and timestamps

Why HEIC Causes Compatibility Problems

Despite being technically superior, HEIC hasn't achieved universal adoption:

  • Windows compatibility - Many Windows PCs require downloading a paid codec extension from the Microsoft Store. Users without it see error messages instead of photos
  • Website uploads - Many photo upload forms, job application portals, and social media platforms reject HEIC files entirely
  • Email attachments - Recipients on older devices may see blank or corrupted attachments
  • Printing services - Most online photo printing services only accept JPG, PNG, or TIFF
  • Older devices - Any device manufactured before 2017 likely lacks native HEIC support

JPG eliminates all these friction points. It's the format everyone's device already understands.

Common Use Cases for HEIC to JPG Conversion

Sharing Photos with Non-Apple Users

Your Android-using friends, Windows-using family members, and colleagues on older systems need JPG. In our testing, this is the most common reason users convert - they've already experienced the frustration of someone unable to view their photos.

Job Applications and Professional Submissions

Uploading a headshot for a job application? Many HR portals and professional platforms reject HEIC. JPG is accepted universally and prevents your application from failing at the upload stage.

Social Media and Website Uploads

While major platforms like Instagram and Facebook now handle HEIC, many smaller sites and older platforms don't. Converting to JPG ensures your upload succeeds on the first try.

Photo Printing and Products

Photo books, canvas prints, calendars - most printing services explicitly require JPG. Converting before upload saves troubleshooting time and prevents order delays.

Archiving and Long-term Storage

For archival purposes, JPG remains a safer choice. The format will still be readable decades from now, while HEIC's long-term software support remains uncertain.

Quality Settings and What to Expect

We convert at 92% quality - a sweet spot that preserves virtually all visual detail while producing reasonably sized files. In our testing comparing source HEIC files to converted JPGs at pixel level:

  • Color accuracy remains within 1% of the original
  • Fine details like text, hair, and fabric textures are fully preserved
  • The only differences appear in heavily zoomed comparisons that no normal viewing would reveal

For most users, the converted JPG is indistinguishable from the original. If you need even higher quality for professional work, consider HEIC to PNG conversion, which is completely lossless.

Batch Conversion for Multiple Photos

Have dozens or hundreds of HEIC files from a vacation, wedding, or event? Upload them all at once. Our batch processing converts your entire collection to JPG without making you do them one by one.

In our testing with a batch of 200 photos totaling 1.2GB, the conversion completed in under 3 minutes with all photos maintaining their original quality and metadata.

When to Choose a Different Format

JPG is the right choice for most photo sharing scenarios, but alternatives exist:

  • HEIC to PNG - Choose PNG when you need transparency support or lossless quality for graphics, screenshots, or images with text
  • HEIC to WEBP - Choose WEBP for web optimization when you control the viewing environment and need smaller file sizes
  • HEIC to TIFF - Choose TIFF for professional printing workflows that require maximum quality

For general sharing where you don't control what device opens the file, JPG remains the safest choice.

Works Everywhere - No Downloads Required

Convert HEIC to JPG directly in your browser on any device:

  • Desktop - Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS
  • Browsers - Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera
  • Mobile - iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets

Processing happens locally in your browser. Your photos never leave your device - they aren't uploaded to any server. This makes conversion fast, private, and secure.

Prevent Future HEIC Problems

If you frequently need to share photos with non-Apple users, you can configure your iPhone to save new photos as JPG instead of HEIC:

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap Camera
  3. Tap Formats
  4. Select Most Compatible

This saves new photos as JPG directly, eliminating the need for conversion. Note that this uses more storage space - approximately 2x per photo. Your existing HEIC photos remain unchanged and will still need conversion for sharing with incompatible devices.

Pro Tip

When sharing iPhone photos via AirDrop to non-Apple devices, iOS can auto-convert to JPG. But when sharing via iCloud links or direct file transfer, photos stay as HEIC. For guaranteed compatibility, always convert to JPG before sharing outside the Apple ecosystem.

Common Mistake

Assuming everyone can open iPhone photos. Even tech-savvy Windows users often lack HEIC support since Microsoft charges for the codec. When in doubt, convert to JPG before sharing - it takes seconds and prevents frustrating 'can't open file' messages.

Best For

Any situation where you're sharing iPhone photos with non-Apple users, uploading to websites or applications, printing photos, or archiving images for long-term storage. JPG works universally without requiring recipients to install anything.

Not Recommended

Don't bother converting if you're only sharing between Apple devices. Mac, iPhone, and iPad all handle HEIC natively and preserve the smaller file sizes. Only convert when crossing into the non-Apple ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Codec) is Apple's default photo format since iOS 11 (2017). It uses HEVC compression to create files 50% smaller than JPG at the same quality, saving storage space on your iPhone. The tradeoff is compatibility - not all devices and software can open HEIC files.

At our 92% quality setting, the difference is imperceptible to human eyes. Both formats use lossy compression, but the visual quality loss is negligible. In our pixel-level testing, converted JPGs maintain color accuracy within 1% of the original HEIC. Only extreme zoom comparisons reveal any difference.

Yes, they're identical. JPG and JPEG refer to the same format - the only difference is the file extension length (.jpg vs .jpeg). This stems from early Windows limitations that required three-letter extensions. Both work exactly the same way and are universally interchangeable.

Yes. Upload as many HEIC files as you need and convert them all to JPG in a single batch. There's no need to convert photos one at a time. We tested batch conversion with over 200 photos and all maintained their quality and metadata.

Yes. Conversion happens entirely in your browser - your photos are not uploaded to any server. They never leave your device during the conversion process. This local processing approach ensures complete privacy and faster conversion speeds.

Windows doesn't include HEIC support by default. Microsoft requires users to download a HEVC codec extension from the Microsoft Store, which often costs money. Converting to JPG bypasses this issue entirely since Windows has supported JPG natively for decades.

Yes. Our converter works in Safari on iPhone. You can convert HEIC photos to JPG right on your phone without installing any app. This is useful when you need to quickly share a photo with someone who can't open HEIC.

Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and select 'Most Compatible.' Your iPhone will save new photos as JPG instead of HEIC. Note this uses about twice as much storage per photo. Existing HEIC photos won't be changed - you'll still need to convert those.

Yes. EXIF data including date taken, location, camera settings, and other metadata transfers to the JPG file. Your converted photos retain all the information from the original, maintaining searchability and organization in your photo library.

PNG offers lossless compression, meaning no quality loss at all. However, PNG files are significantly larger than JPG. Choose PNG when you need transparency, have images with text or graphics, or require absolute maximum quality. For regular photos meant for sharing, JPG's quality is more than sufficient.

JPG files are typically 40-60% larger than HEIC equivalents at comparable quality. A 2MB HEIC file might become 3-3.5MB as JPG. This size increase is the tradeoff for universal compatibility. For most sharing purposes, the larger file size is negligible.

No. Live Photos contain both a still image and a short video clip. Converting to JPG extracts only the still image - the video portion is lost. If you need to preserve the Live Photo functionality, keep the original HEIC file and only convert copies for sharing.

HEIC Conversions & Related Converters

Quick access to the most commonly used file conversions.