How to Convert HEIC to JPG: iPhone Photos on Windows, Android and the Web
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Short answer: HEIC is the photo format iPhones use by default. If a HEIC file will not open or upload, convert it to JPG. In Imgovo you drop the files into the HEIC to JPG converter, and the conversion happens in your browser without uploading them.
What is HEIC?
HEIC is the file extension Apple devices use for photos stored in the HEIF format with HEVC compression. It was designed to store photos at smaller file sizes than JPG for comparable visual quality, which is why iPhones use it by default.
The drawback is compatibility. JPG opens almost everywhere. HEIC is supported on Apple devices, but other systems, websites and older programs may not display it, or may require extra components.
Why your HEIC photo will not open
Typical situations:
- Windows: the Photos app or Explorer thumbnails may show nothing until the right image and video codec extensions are installed.
- Websites and forms: many upload fields accept only JPG, PNG or PDF and will reject a HEIC file.
- Older software and printers: programs written before HEIC became common may not read it.
- Sharing with other people: a friend on a different system may not be able to open what you send.
Support changes over time, so if a particular app suddenly handles HEIC, that is fine. Converting to JPG simply removes the question.
Convert HEIC to JPG in your browser
- Open the HEIC to JPG converter.
- Add one photo or many. Selecting several files at once saves time.
- Convert, check the preview, and download. For many files, download them together as a ZIP.
Nothing is sent to a server, so this is a reasonable option for personal photos. For the reasons it matters, see Are online image converters safe?.
Need something other than JPG?
- HEIC to PNG for lossless output of the decoded image, with larger files.
- HEIC to PDF if you need to send photos as a document.
- Convert Image for other format combinations.
Stop your iPhone from creating HEIC
If you would rather avoid the problem at the source, you can change the camera format on the iPhone. In the Settings app, go to Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. New photos will then be saved as JPG. The exact wording and menu path can differ between iOS versions. Photos taken earlier stay as HEIC.
Keep in mind that Most Compatible may produce larger files than High Efficiency, so it uses more storage.
HEIC vs JPG at a glance
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Good on Apple devices, uneven elsewhere | Almost universal |
| File size for similar quality | Usually smaller | Usually larger |
| Transparency | Supported by the format | Not supported |
| Best for | Saving storage on an iPhone | Sharing, uploading, printing |
Tips
- Keep your original HEIC files until you are sure you do not need them.
- If you are converting only to meet an upload size limit, see how to compress an image to under 100 KB.
- Photos you share may contain location data. See how to remove GPS location and EXIF data.
Do it now
Open the HEIC to JPG converter, add your photos and download JPG files that open anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
Closely related. HEIF is the container format; HEIC is the file extension commonly used by Apple devices for HEIF images that use HEVC compression.
Do I lose quality when converting HEIC to JPG?
JPG is a lossy format, so some detail is discarded when the image is re-encoded. At a high quality setting the difference is usually hard to see, but you cannot get the lost detail back, so keep the original HEIC if you may need it.
Can I convert many HEIC photos at once?
Yes. Add several files to the converter and download the results, or download them together as a ZIP.
Are my photos uploaded when I convert them?
No. The conversion runs in your browser on your device.
Should I choose JPG or PNG?
For photos, JPG gives much smaller files. Choose PNG only if you need lossless output and accept a larger file.