Convert HEIC to JPG

What HEIC is and why your computer can't open it

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the default format on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11. It's a flavor of HEIF that stores the image compressed with the HEVC (H.265) video codec. Its big advantage is size: a HEIC photo takes roughly half the space of a JPG of equivalent quality, which is why Apple chose it to save storage on the phone.

The problem is compatibility. HEVC is covered by patents and many software vendors don't ship it. That's why it's common to find that:

• Windows can't open HEIC without installing extensions from the Microsoft Store (one of them paid).
• Chrome, Edge and Firefox don't display HEIC; only Safari does natively.
• Many web forms, print services, CMSs and social networks reject the file.
• Older editing software doesn't recognize it.

JPG works absolutely everywhere, so converting is the fastest way to share or edit those photos without hassle.

How to convert HEIC to JPG with ImageZap

1. Drag your .heic or .heif files onto the drop zone, or pick an entire folder with all your phone photos. There's no limit on the number of files.
2. JPEG is already selected as the output format. The Balanced quality (82) is fine for sharing; if you're going to print or keep editing, raise it to 90.
3. Click Convert and download each photo or all of them together as a ZIP.

The first time you convert a HEIC in a browser that doesn't support it natively (Chrome, Edge, Firefox), ImageZap downloads a decoder of about 2 MB based on libheif. After that it stays cached and subsequent conversions are instant. In Safari the system's own decoder is used.

Privacy: your photos never leave your device

Phone photos are often personal: family, documents, places. Most online converters upload your files to a server, process them there and send them back. ImageZap works differently: the conversion runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. No photo is sent over the internet, and you can check it by disconnecting from the network once the page has loaded.

Converting also strips EXIF metadata, including the GPS location the iPhone stores in every photo. That's a plus if you're going to publish them, but keep it in mind if you need to preserve the date or place in your library. You can read more in the guide on EXIF metadata and privacy.

Why is the JPG bigger than the HEIC?

That's normal and expected. HEVC is a much more modern codec than JPEG, so at equal quality the HEIC is smaller. When converting you gain compatibility in exchange for size: a 2 MB HEIC can become a 3-4 MB JPG at high quality.

If the destination is a website and you care about weight, there are better options than JPG:

• AVIF offers compression similar to HEIC and works in every modern browser.
• WebP is a bit larger than AVIF, but even more compatible and extremely fast to decode.

You can select several formats at once in the settings and compare each result before deciding.

48 MP photos and Live Photos

Recent iPhones can shoot 48-megapixel photos (8064 × 6048 px). They're huge files you rarely need at that size. If you're emailing or publishing them, turn on Resize and cap the width at 2048 or 3000 px: the JPG will weigh a fraction and still look perfect on any screen.

Live Photos are stored as a HEIC plus a short .mov video. ImageZap converts the still image; the video isn't part of the HEIC file.

How to stop your iPhone from saving HEIC

If you'd rather your phone shoot JPG directly, go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. In exchange, each photo will take roughly twice the space. Alternatively, keep High Efficiency and let the iPhone convert automatically when you copy photos to a computer: Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose quality converting HEIC to JPG?

Slightly, because JPG is also a lossy format. At quality 85-90 the difference is invisible to the naked eye. Avoid converting the same file several times in a row.

Can I convert many HEIC photos at once?

Yes. You can drop hundreds of files or a whole folder; they're processed in parallel using your CPU cores and downloaded together as a ZIP.

Does it work on Windows and Android?

Yes. Conversion works in any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, with nothing to install.

Is the photo orientation preserved?

Yes. Rotation is applied to the pixels during conversion, so the JPG displays upright in any viewer.

Is it free?

Yes, with no sign-up, no watermarks and no file limit.