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HEIC to JPG Converter
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the default photo format used by iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 and later. Apple adopted it in 2017 because it compresses photos to roughly half the file size of JPG while maintaining equivalent visual quality. The format uses the HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) specification developed by the MPEG group and based on the H.265 video codec.
The practical problem with HEIC is compatibility. Windows, most web platforms, Android devices, and the majority of image editing software do not support HEIC natively. Photos shared from an iPhone in their original format often cannot be opened by the recipient. Converting HEIC to JPG produces a universally compatible file that opens on every device and platform without additional software or plugins.
Why iPhones Use HEIC Instead of JPG
Apple switched the default camera format from JPG to HEIC in iOS 11 (September 2017) for storage efficiency. A typical iPhone photo in JPG format averages 3 to 5 MB. The same photo in HEIC averages 1.5 to 2.5 MB, a reduction of approximately 50 percent. For a phone with 128 GB of storage taking thousands of photos, this difference doubles the number of photos the device can store.
HEIC also preserves more image data than JPG. The format supports 10-bit colour depth compared to JPG’s 8-bit, which means more gradations between colours are captured. HDR images, Live Photos motion data, and depth information from Portrait mode all fit within a single HEIC container. JPG cannot store this additional data in a standardised way.
iPhones automatically convert HEIC to JPG when you share photos through AirDrop to a non-Apple device, attach them to email from the Photos app, or send them through certain apps. This automatic conversion is convenient but not universal. Photos transferred via USB cable, shared through iCloud links, or exported through third-party apps often retain the HEIC format.
HEIC vs JPG: Format Comparison
| Property | HEIC | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression type | Lossy (based on H.265) | Lossy (DCT-based) |
| File size at equivalent quality | Baseline | Approximately 2x larger |
| Colour depth | 10-bit per channel | 8-bit per channel |
| Transparency support | Yes (alpha channel) | No |
| Animation support | Yes (image sequences) | No |
| Native browser support | Safari only | All browsers |
| Native Windows support | Requires codec (paid) | Universal |
| Social media upload support | Most reconvert to JPG | Universal |
| Introduced | 2017 (iOS 11) | 1992 |
What Happens to Image Quality When Converting HEIC to JPG
Converting HEIC to JPG introduces lossy compression for the first time in the JPG layer. The source HEIC file already contains compressed image data. When the converter decodes the HEIC and re-encodes as JPG, a second round of lossy compression is applied. The quality setting you choose for the JPG output controls how much additional data is discarded in this second pass.
At quality settings of 85 to 92, the visual difference between the HEIC original and the converted JPG is not perceptible at normal viewing distances on standard screens. The pixel dimensions, subject, and overall appearance are identical. The converted JPG will typically be larger in file size than the original HEIC for the same perceptible quality, because JPG’s compression algorithm is less efficient than HEIC’s H.265-based compression.
At quality settings below 75, visible JPEG compression artifacts begin to appear in the output — particularly around edges, in areas of fine texture, and in gradients. Keep the quality slider at 85 or above for any photo you intend to print, display at large sizes, or use professionally.
Privacy: Your Photos Never Leave Your Device
This converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly technology. Your HEIC files are decoded and converted locally on your device. No photo data is sent to any server at any point during the conversion. The converted JPG file is generated in your browser’s memory and downloaded directly to your device.
This matters because HEIC photos from iPhones often contain EXIF metadata including GPS coordinates, timestamp, device model, and camera settings. Uploading to a third-party server shares this information with that server. Local processing in this converter means none of that metadata leaves your device unless you choose to share the output file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Windows does not include a HEIC decoder by default. Microsoft offers a paid HEIC Image Extensions codec through the Microsoft Store that adds native HEIC support to Windows 10 and 11. Without this codec, Windows Photo Viewer, File Explorer thumbnails, and most Windows applications display HEIC files as unsupported. Converting HEIC to JPG produces a file that opens on Windows without any additional software.
It introduces one additional round of lossy compression. The HEIC file is already compressed. When it is decoded and re-encoded as JPG, the JPG compression algorithm applies again. At quality settings of 85 to 92, the difference is not visible at normal viewing distances. The pixel dimensions and overall appearance are identical to the original. At quality settings below 75, visible JPEG compression artifacts may appear around edges and in fine-texture areas.
Yes, typically. HEIC uses H.265-based compression, which is more efficient than JPG's DCT-based algorithm. A HEIC photo averaging 2 MB will often convert to a JPG of 3 to 5 MB at quality 90. This size increase is normal and expected. If file size is a concern, lower the quality slider to 75 to 82, which produces smaller JPG files with minimal visible quality change.
HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) is the container specification developed by the MPEG group. HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's implementation of HEIF using H.265 (HEVC) as the compression codec. In practice, HEIC and HEIF files are functionally equivalent and both use the .heic or .heif file extension. This converter accepts both extensions.
No. This converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your HEIC files are decoded and converted locally on your device. No image data is transmitted to any server at any point. The converted JPG is generated in browser memory and downloaded directly to your device. This means your photos, including any embedded GPS location data in the EXIF metadata, never leave your device.
Android phones do not typically save photos in HEIC format. HEIC is primarily associated with Apple devices (iPhone and iPad). If you have an HEIC file from any source on an Android device, you can open this converter in any Android browser and upload the file for conversion. The converter works on any device with a modern browser regardless of operating system.
iOS automatically converts HEIC to JPG when sharing via AirDrop to non-Apple devices, when attaching to email from the Photos app, and when certain apps request the compatible format. However, some transfer methods such as USB cable transfer, iCloud link sharing, and certain third-party apps transfer the original HEIC file without conversion. The setting at iOS Settings > Camera > Formats controls whether the camera saves in High Efficiency (HEIC) or Most Compatible (JPG) mode.