Written by Sam Taylor — Full-Stack Developer. building web tools for years. Built Formly to replace 15 bookmarked converter sites with one URL. More about me →
I sent a batch of product photos to a client last month. He emailed back: "These .heic files won't open." He was on Windows 10. Apple switched to HEIC as the default iPhone photo format in 2017, and nearly a decade later, cross-platform compatibility is still a mess. Here's every method I've tested for converting HEIC to JPG, ranked by what I'd actually recommend to a non-technical friend.
Best for: Privacy, speed, batch conversion, any device.
Use a browser-based HEIC to JPG converter like Formly's HEIC to JPG tool. Drop your HEIC files, and they're converted to JPG instantly — right in your browser. No upload, no software install, works on any device with a modern browser (iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux). Supports batch conversion and ZIP download.
Best for: Preventing future HEIC files.
Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and select "Most Compatible" instead of "High Efficiency." All future photos will be saved as JPEG. Note: this does NOT convert existing HEIC photos — it only affects new photos you take.
Best for: Mac users with a few files to convert.
Open the HEIC file in Preview (it opens by default on Mac). Go to File > Export. Choose JPEG as the format, adjust quality, and click Save. Quick for single files, but tedious for batches.
Best for: Windows users willing to install extensions.
First, install the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store (free). Then open the HEIC in Photos, click ... > Save As, and choose JPEG. Windows 11 handles this natively; Windows 10 needs the extension.
Best for: Occasional use when privacy doesn't matter.
Sites like CloudConvert or Zamzar accept HEIC uploads and return JPEG downloads. But remember — your photos are uploaded to their servers. Not recommended for personal photos, sensitive images, or anything private.
| Method | Privacy | Batch | Any Device | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser converter | 100% local | Yes | Yes | Instant |
| Mac Preview | Local | No | Mac only | Moderate |
| Windows Photos | Local | No | Windows only | Moderate |
| iPhone settings | Local | N/A | iPhone only | Preventative |
| Online upload | Files uploaded | Varies | Yes | Slow (upload) |
Written by Sam Taylor — Full-Stack Developer. building web tools for years. Built Formly to replace 15 bookmarked converter sites with one URL. More about me →