HEIC to JPG Converter

iPhone Photos in HEIC Format - Why They Won't Open Everywhere

Since iOS 11 in 2017, iPhones default to saving photos in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) format. HEIC produces files roughly half the size of equivalent JPEG quality - a major storage benefit on a phone. The problem is compatibility: Windows PCs, most Android apps, almost all web upload forms, and many editing applications do not support HEIC natively. When you try to upload an iPhone photo to a website and nothing happens, or you send a photo to a Windows user and they cannot open it, HEIC is almost always the reason. The HEIC to JPG Converter solves this by converting your files to JPG, PNG or WebP in the browser - no software to install, no files uploaded to a server.

Three Output Formats - When to Use Each

JPG is the right choice for sharing, email attachments, social media uploads and any situation requiring universal compatibility. Every device, every browser, every application that handles images supports JPEG. At 85-90% quality the output is visually identical to the HEIC original for photographic content. PNG gives lossless output - every pixel is preserved exactly - but produces significantly larger files than JPG. Use PNG when the converted image will be further edited, used in a design workflow, or when you need pixel-perfect accuracy. WebP is the modern web format: smaller than JPEG at equivalent quality, with full transparency support. Use WebP when the converted images will be used on a website.

Batch Conversion - Multiple Files at Once

Drop an entire folder of HEIC files at once. The converter processes them in parallel - ten files take roughly the same time as one. Each file shows its conversion status (processing, done, error) individually, and individual Download buttons let you grab specific files. When multiple conversions complete, a Download All button appears. The stats bar tracks total files, completed count, output format and average size saving. For a typical iPhone photo converted from HEIC to JPG at 90% quality, expect roughly 20-35% size reduction compared to the HEIC original.

When Conversion Fails - and What to Do

HEIC conversion uses the heic2any JavaScript library running in your browser. This works for standard HEIC files from iPhones, but there are cases where it fails: DRM-protected HEIC files (rare, but possible), certain HEIC variants produced by non-Apple devices, or very large files that exceed browser memory limits. When conversion fails, the error message explains the specific reason. The most reliable fix is to change your iPhone's camera format before shooting: go to Settings > Camera > Formats and select Most Compatible - this makes the camera save JPG directly, eliminating the need for conversion entirely. For already-taken HEIC photos that fail here, AirDrop to a Mac (which converts automatically) or use the iOS Files app to export as JPEG.

How HEIC Compares to JPEG

HEIC uses HEVC (H.265) video compression technology adapted for still images. The result is approximately 40-50% smaller files than JPEG at equivalent visual quality - so a 4 MB iPhone JPEG becomes roughly 2 MB as HEIC. This efficiency comes from a more sophisticated compression algorithm that better represents edges, gradients and fine detail. The tradeoff is processing overhead: HEIC encoding and decoding requires more CPU work than JPEG, which is why older software without hardware codec support cannot handle it efficiently. When you convert HEIC to JPG, the file size typically increases because JPEG is a less efficient codec - this is expected and not a bug. After conversion, use the Image Compressor if you need to reduce JPEG file sizes further.

Permanently Switching iPhone to JPG

If you regularly share photos with non-Apple users or upload to web services, the simplest long-term solution is to change your iPhone camera format. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and tap Most Compatible. Your camera will now save JPGs instead of HEICs - slightly larger files but universally compatible. You can switch back to High Efficiency at any time to save storage. For photos already in HEIC format on your camera roll, this converter handles batch conversion. For images that need resizing after conversion, use the Image Resizer.

✓Verified by ToollyX Team · Last updated June 2026