It’s possible to convert HEIC files to JPG on an iPhone, Mac, or PC.
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To convert HEIC files to JPG on your iPhone, change their format to “Most Compatible” in Settings.
You can convert HEIC photos to JPG on Mac while in Preview.
On Windows, you can convert HEIC images to JPG using the Photos app.
Beginning with iOS 11, Apple changed the default photo file format for the iPhone and iPad.
Instead of the universally standard JPG, photos are now saved in a format called HEIC, which offers better compression while retaining a high image quality, and lets you store more images in the same space on your phone or tablet.
You can switch back to saving JPG files or simply convert your photos to JPG when needed. Here’s how to do it on iPhone, Mac, or PC.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone
If you don’t want to worry about HEIC files at all, you can simply set your phone or tablet to always use the JPG format:
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Camera > Formats > Most Compatible.
You can switch from HEIC to JPG so you don’t have to worry about the new file format.
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You can have the best of both worlds, though — you can save space on your device with HEIC but automatically convert images to JPG when you transfer them to your computer.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Photos.
3. In the Transfer to Mac Or PC section, tap Automatic.
Set the transfer mode to “Automatic” so your iPhone always transfers JPG images to your computer.
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How to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac
If you set your iPhone or iPad to automatically convert images to JPG when transferring to your Mac, you don’t need to worry about this, but if you already have HEIC photos on your Mac, you can convert them there. There are several apps that support HEIC and let you convert them to JPG, but the simplest is the Preview app.
1. Open the HEIC photo you want to convert in Preview.
2. Click File, and then select Export in the menu.
Export the HEIC image while in Preview.
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3. In the Format menu, choose JPG.
Change the HEIC image’s format to JPG when exporting it.
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4. Click Save.
Quick tip: You can also convert HEIC photos to JPG on a browser using the FreeConvert website.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows PC
If you have some HEIC photos from your iPhone or iPad stored on your Windows computer, don’t worry — you can convert them to JPG using the Photos app.
Important: You’ll need to first buy HEVC Video Extensions, which costs about $1, on the Microsoft Store so you can view HEIC photos in the Photos app on your PC.
1. Right-click the HEIC image, select Open with, and click Photos in the context menu.
2. Click See more – the three horizontal dots – in the top menu, and then Select Save as from the menu.
Click “See more,” and then select “Save as.”
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3. In the Save as type dropdown menu, select .jpg (*.jpg).
Select JPG as the new format.
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4. Click Save.
Quick tip: You can also use CopyTrans HEIC for Windows – it’s free for personal use – to convert HEIC photos to JPG on Windows.