Convert HEIC to JPG
HEIC is the high-efficiency format iPhones use by default. It's compact, but Windows, older Android phones, web forms, and many editors still can't open it. Converting to JPG produces a photo file that opens everywhere.
To convert an iPhone HEIC photo to JPG, drop the file above. The tool uses the heic2any decoder to unpack HEIC's HEVC-compressed image data, then re-encodes it as a JPG. Everything happens locally — Apple's HEIC codec is not required on Windows or older Android because decoding runs in your browser. The result is a universally compatible JPG you can attach to email, upload to any web form, or open in any editor. HEIC has been the iPhone default since iOS 11 and is roughly half the size of an equivalent JPG, which is exactly why it is also the format that refuses to open on Windows, older Android phones and most web upload forms. Two notes. Decoding is done in JavaScript and is noticeably slower than a native codec, so large batches take time and memory. And Live Photos convert as their still frame only, since the motion is stored separately. Setting the camera to "Most Compatible" avoids the problem at source.
Drop a HEIC here, or click to upload
Output: JPG
What happens when you convert HEIC to JPG?
HEIC is the .heic container Apple ships since iOS 11 (2017). Inside it, image data is stored using HEVC (H.265) intra-frame encoding, which is roughly twice as efficient as JPEG. That's why a 4 MB iPhone photo balloons to 8–10 MB when you convert it to JPG at equivalent quality — the pixels are the same but JPEG's older DCT compression needs more bytes. HEIC supports 10-bit color, alpha and multi-image containers (Live Photos, bursts); the conversion here writes only the primary still image to a standard 8-bit JPG.
Common mistakes and limitations when going from HEIC to JPG
HEIC's biggest strengths — 10-bit color depth, HDR gain maps, Live Photo motion frames — don't survive the trip to 8-bit JPG. If you plan to keep editing on Apple hardware, keep the HEIC. If the destination is a Windows PC, an Android sharing app, a job portal or a printer that rejects .heic, JPG is the right choice. Some very old iPhones or third-party camera apps produce HEIC variants (HEIF sequences) that heic2any can't decode; the tool shows an error rather than silently corrupting data.
Choosing the right settings for HEIC to JPG
HEIC is what iPhones shoot by default, and JPG is what everything else reads, which makes this the most common conversion anyone performs on photographs. Quality 88 to 92 is the right range: HEIC is already lossy, so this is a generation-two encode and being stingy compounds artefacts. Expect the JPG to be roughly twice the size of the HEIC at matched quality. HEIC uses HEVC intra-frame compression, which is substantially more efficient than JPEG's older transform, so the size increase is the cost of universal compatibility. Two things are worth checking afterwards. First, HEIC supports 10-bit colour depth and wide-gamut Display P3, while JPG here is 8-bit sRGB — very saturated content, particularly sunsets and neon, can shift slightly or show mild banding after conversion. Second, HEIC files from an iPhone may contain multiple images: Live Photos bundle a still and a short video, and burst captures hold several frames. Only the primary still image converts. Metadata handling is worth a thought too. EXIF data including GPS coordinates is commonly carried across during conversion, so a photo shared after converting may still disclose where it was taken. Strip location data separately if that matters. Orientation is worth a glance too. HEIC files record rotation as metadata rather than rotating the pixels, and a small number of older viewers ignore that flag — so a portrait photo can appear sideways after conversion. Opening the JPG once in any modern viewer confirms it quickly.
HEIC to JPG conversion FAQ
Will I lose photo quality?
- There is a small re-encoding pass, but at quality 90 the JPG is visually identical to the HEIC for everyday viewing, sharing and printing.
Why is the JPG bigger than the HEIC?
- HEVC compression in HEIC is roughly 2× more efficient than JPEG DCT. Expect JPGs to be 1.5–2× larger for the same visual quality — the trade-off for universal compatibility.
Does this work on Windows?
- Yes. Decoding runs in your browser using the heic2any JavaScript library, so no Windows HEIC codec is required.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
- No. Decoding and re-encoding run entirely in your browser tab.
What about Live Photos?
- Only the primary still frame is exported. The 3-second motion clip Apple stores alongside the HEIC is a separate .mov file that isn't touched by this conversion.
Does the JPG keep the HEIC's HDR?
- No. Standard JPG is 8-bit SDR; HEIC's HDR gain map is discarded. Use HEIC-to-PNG if you need higher bit depth, or keep the HEIC for HDR-aware apps.
Does EXIF (date, GPS) survive?
- Canvas re-encoding strips EXIF. If you need location and camera metadata, use a HEIC tool that copies EXIF blocks; the browser Canvas API does not.
Can I use this in a batch workflow?
- For occasional saves this per-file flow is fastest. For large libraries, macOS Preview and Windows Photos have built-in HEIC export options.
HEIC vs JPG at a glance
| Property | HEIC source | JPG output |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | HEVC intra-frame | Lossy DCT |
| Color depth | Up to 10-bit | 8-bit |
| Typical iPhone photo size | 1.5–3 MB | 2.5–5 MB |
| Windows/Android support | Requires codec | Universal |
| Best used for | Apple ecosystem storage | Sharing, uploads, print |
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References: ISO/IEC 23008-12 (HEIF/HEIC container), ISO/IEC 23008-2 (HEVC), Apple Developer Photography documentation, heic2any decoder README.