GizmoBench guides
Best HEIC to JPG Converter: 6 Ways to Convert Photos
The best HEIC to JPG converter is the one that matches where your photos already are. On an iPhone or Mac, the built-in export or camera setting is usually enough. On Windows, a dedicated desktop app is the most convenient for batches. For a handful of files on any device, a browser-based converter that processes images locally is the quickest route. Below we compare six options on cost, batch handling, privacy and metadata, then cover what to do with the JPGs afterward.
TL;DR
- For a few photos on an iPhone or Mac, use the built-in options (camera format setting, Photos export, Preview) before installing anything.
- For large batches on Windows or Mac, a desktop app such as iMazing HEIC Converter or CopyTrans HEIC is built for the job.
- For privacy, prefer converters that work inside your browser or on your device, so photos are not uploaded to a server.
- Conversion to JPG is lossy, so keep the original HEIC files until you are sure you no longer need them.
- After converting, resize, compress, strip location data or combine photos into a PDF with our Image Resizer, Image Compressor, EXIF Remover and Image to PDF guide.
Table of Contents
- Why your photos are HEIC in the first place
- What to compare before you pick a converter
- Six ways to convert HEIC to JPG, compared
- Quality, metadata and file size: what actually changes
- A practical workflow for a batch of iPhone photos
- Turning converted photos into a PDF
- Other conversions you may run into
- Where GizmoBench fits
- How to choose, in one pass
- FAQ
- Sources
Why your photos are HEIC in the first place
HEIC is the file extension for images stored in the HEIF container, using HEVC compression. iPhones switched to it as the default capture format because it keeps photos smaller than JPG at comparable visual quality. That is the reason a recent iPhone library takes less storage than the same number of JPG shots would.
The catch is compatibility. Many websites, older Windows installs, print kiosks, form uploads and some editing programs either reject HEIC or open it only after you add a codec. When an upload form says “JPG or PNG only,” you need a conversion step.
It helps to separate two questions that readers often merge:
- Do I need JPG for this one task? Convert the specific copies you need and keep the originals.
- Do I want all future photos as JPG? Change the camera setting instead (covered below), and you never convert again.
For background on why format choice affects file weight, this guide to optimizing images for the web explains the trade-offs between formats from a page-speed angle.
What to compare before you pick a converter
Most “best of” pages rank tools on feature count. Five criteria matter more in practice:
- Where the processing happens. Server-side converters upload your photos to someone else’s machine. Local converters (desktop apps, built-in OS tools, in-browser tools) do not. For family photos, IDs or documents, this is the deciding factor.
- Batch handling. Converting 5 photos and converting 500 are different jobs. Look for folder or multi-select input and a sensible output folder.
- Metadata. Photos carry EXIF data: capture time, camera model and often GPS coordinates. Some converters drop it, some keep it. Neither is always right; it depends on whether you are archiving or sharing.
- Quality control. JPG is lossy. A good converter lets you set a quality level, or at least uses a high default.
- Limits and cost. Free tools commonly cap file counts, file sizes or daily conversions, or add watermarks in trial versions. Check the limits on the tool’s own page before you commit a large batch.
Six ways to convert HEIC to JPG, compared
| Option | Platform | Processing | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone camera setting (Most Compatible) | iPhone, iPad | On device | Never seeing HEIC again | Applies to new photos only |
| Apple Photos or Preview export | Mac | On device | A few to a few dozen photos | Manual export steps |
| Windows Photos or Paint | Windows | On device | Single files on Windows | Needs HEIF codec support; one file at a time |
| CopyTrans HEIC | Windows | On device | Windows Explorer integration | Windows only; check current licensing on its site |
| iMazing HEIC Converter | Mac, Windows | On device | General desktop conversion | Separate app to install |
| Browser-based local converter | Any with a modern browser | In your browser | Quick one-offs without installing | Very large batches may be slow |
The roundups ranking for this query tend to name iMazing as a top overall pick for Mac and Windows, WALTR for bulk conversion and CopyTrans HEIC for Windows integration. Those descriptions match how the tools position themselves, though pricing and free tiers change, so confirm them on each vendor’s page.
1. Change the iPhone camera format
If you are tired of converting, fix the source. On an iPhone, the Camera settings include a Formats option where you can choose between High Efficiency and Most Compatible. Choosing Most Compatible makes new photos save as JPG. It does not alter photos you have already taken, so existing HEIC files still need converting.
The trade-off is storage: JPG files are larger, so your library grows faster. Many people choose High Efficiency for everyday shooting and convert only when needed.
2. Export from Photos or Preview on a Mac
On a Mac, Photos can export selected images as JPEG and lets you choose quality. Preview can also open a HEIC file and save a copy as JPEG through its Export command. Both are local, free and good for small sets. Their weakness is repetition: with 200 photos, a dedicated converter saves time.
One practical tip: when Photos offers “Unmodified Original,” that gives you the HEIC, not a JPG. Pick the JPEG export option explicitly.
3. Windows Photos or Paint
Recent Windows versions can open HEIC once the HEIF image codec is installed, and from there you can save a copy as JPG. This works for single files. It is awkward for folders, which is why Windows users search for a batch tool so often. If you only have three photos to send to a landlord or school, it is fine.
4. CopyTrans HEIC for Windows
CopyTrans HEIC is a Windows utility that adds HEIC support to the file system, including a right-click option to convert to JPG, which makes it handy for folders. Because it is Windows-specific and a separate product with its own licensing, read the current terms on the vendor’s site before relying on it for commercial use.
5. iMazing HEIC Converter
iMazing’s converter is a desktop app for Mac and Windows that takes files or folders and writes JPG or PNG output, with a quality setting. It is a sensible default if you convert regularly and want one tool on both platforms. It is software you install, so it suits recurring work more than a one-time upload task.
6. A browser-based converter that stays local
Browser tools win on convenience: open a page, drop files, download JPGs, with nothing to install. The important distinction is where processing occurs. Some web converters upload your images to a server; others run entirely in your browser using the device’s own processing. If a tool does not state which, assume uploads, and avoid it for private photos. Tools that process locally are also not limited by upload speed, which matters with 12-megapixel photos.
The converters we publish at GizmoBench follow this local-processing approach: files are handled in your browser, with no account and no upload. For the specific formats each tool accepts, check the tool’s own page, since the lineup grows over time.
Quality, metadata and file size: what actually changes
Quality. Converting HEIC to JPG decodes the image and re-encodes it with a different, older compression method. At a high quality setting the difference is hard to see on a phone screen, but it is not reversible. Converting a JPG back to HEIC will not restore anything. HEIC can also store more than JPG does (for example, wider color depth and depth-map data), and a plain JPG export generally does not carry those extras. That is why you should keep the originals.
File size. Expect JPG output to be larger than the HEIC input at similar visual quality. If the result is too large for an upload limit, run it through an image compressor that targets a specific size in KB or MB, or reduce the dimensions with the Image Resizer.
Metadata. Converters differ in whether they keep EXIF data. According to one 2026 technical write-up, some converters lose EXIF during processing, while command-line tools such as ImageMagick paired with exiftool can preserve metadata including GPS, ICC profiles and maker notes. That is useful for archives. For sharing, the opposite matters: photos taken at home often embed your location. Our EXIF Remover strips that data locally, and the three-step privacy workflow walks through it.
A practical workflow for a batch of iPhone photos
This sequence works whichever converter you choose:
- Copy the HEIC files to a working folder. Never convert in place.
- Convert to JPG at a high quality setting. Test with two or three photos first and zoom in to check the result.
- Decide on metadata. If you will post or send the photos publicly, remove location data from the copies.
- Resize if the destination has a dimension or size limit.
- Keep the HEIC originals until the JPGs are delivered and confirmed.
Worked example: you have 30 photos of a damaged package to send to a courier’s claims form that accepts JPG only and caps each file size. Convert all 30 to JPG, resize the long edge to something modest, compress, and upload. Since the photos show your home address on the label, check that no GPS data is embedded before sending.
Turning converted photos into a PDF
Many people who search for HEIC conversion actually want a single document: receipts for an expense report, pages of a signed form, a set of room photos for an insurer. The route is HEIC to JPG first, then JPG to PDF. Image-to-PDF tools differ in the settings that matter: page order, page size (fit to image or a standard paper size), margins and image quality. Check these before exporting, because a PDF built from full-resolution photos can be very large. Our Image to PDF guide covers how to combine photos and scans into one file and which settings to check.
If you later need the pictures back out of a finished PDF, the PDF Image Extractor saves embedded images.
Other conversions you may run into
HEIC is rarely the only odd format in a folder. Exports from cameras, scanners and design programs bring their own. These GizmoBench pages cover the common ones, all running in the browser:
- JFIF to JPG for files saved with the JFIF extension.
- TIFF to JPG for scans, including multi-page files.
- PSD to JPG for viewing Photoshop files and their layers.
- JPEG to BMP for software that needs a Windows bitmap.
Where GizmoBench fits
GizmoBench is a collection of free browser tools that run locally: no account, no installation and no file uploads for file processing. For the work around HEIC conversion (resizing, compressing, removing location data, building a PDF), start at our everyday tools page or go directly to the Image Resizer. Core tools are free to use without signing up; we cannot promise that every feature will stay free indefinitely.
How to choose, in one pass
- One-time need, a few photos, any device: a local browser converter or the built-in export.
- Recurring work on Windows: CopyTrans HEIC or a similar Explorer-integrated tool.
- Recurring work across Mac and Windows: iMazing HEIC Converter.
- Never want HEIC again: switch the iPhone to Most Compatible, and accept larger files.
- Private or sensitive photos: skip any converter that uploads your files; use on-device or in-browser processing.
FAQ
Can I convert HEIC to JPG for free?
Yes. The built-in options on iPhone, Mac and Windows cost nothing, and many desktop and browser converters have free tiers. Limits vary, commonly on batch size, file size or daily use, so check each tool’s page before converting a large folder.
Which is better quality, JPG or HEIC?
HEIC generally keeps comparable visual quality at a smaller file size, because its compression is more modern. JPG is the more widely supported format. Converting from HEIC to JPG cannot add quality, so treat the HEIC as your master copy.
Why are my photos suddenly HEIC instead of JPG?
Recent iPhones save photos in the High Efficiency format by default, which uses HEIC files. You can change it in the Camera settings under Formats by choosing Most Compatible, which affects new photos only.
Can I convert a HEIC file to JPG on my iPhone?
Yes. Exporting or sharing a photo in a compatible way, such as saving a copy to Files or sending it by a method that converts it, often produces a JPG. The most reliable approach is to set the camera to Most Compatible for new photos and use a converter for older ones.