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Quick answer
A HEIC image converter converts Apple's default iPhone photo format into JPG, PNG, or other formats that Windows, Android, and most web services can actually open. HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPGs at equivalent quality — but they open on almost nothing outside Apple's own devices. Converting takes seconds and preserves the original resolution.
HEIC is a technically excellent format that opens on almost nothing outside Apple's own ecosystem. If you've received a .heic file, tried to upload one to a website, or found Windows Photo Viewer staring blankly at the screen — this is why, and here's what to do.
This guide explains what HEIC actually is, why compatibility is such a persistent problem, what changes when you convert a HEIC file to JPG or PNG, and how to do it free without installing any software.
What is HEIC? (and why Apple uses it)
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HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It's Apple's default photo format for iPhones, introduced with iOS 11 in 2017. The format is based on HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also called H.265) — the same compression technology used for 4K video — adapted for still images.
The efficiency is the point. An iPhone photo in HEIC is typically 1.5–2MB. The same shot saved as a JPEG at comparable visual quality is 3–4MB. Over a year of phone photos, that difference adds up to tens of gigabytes of saved storage. Apple switched to HEIC because the math was obvious.
HEIC also supports features JPEG can't: HDR photos, Live Photos (a short video clip attached to the still), depth maps from Portrait Mode, and 16-bit colour. These work beautifully inside Apple's apps. Outside them, most of those capabilities are stripped or ignored entirely.
The technical background: HEIC files carry a .heic or .heif extension and are standardized by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). Apple didn't invent the format — they adopted it from the HEIF specification developed by Nokia and published in 2015. They were simply the first major platform to make it a default.
You can check whether your iPhone is shooting HEIC or JPG in Settings → Camera → Formats. "High Efficiency" means HEIC. "Most Compatible" switches the camera to JPG. Choosing Most Compatible doubles your storage use per photo but eliminates the compatibility problem before it starts.
Why HEIC files won't open on Windows or Android
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HEVC is a patented codec. Decoding it legally requires a license — that license costs money, and Microsoft doesn't bundle the necessary decoder into Windows for free. The HEVC Video Extensions are available from the Microsoft Store, but they cost $0.99 and the vast majority of users don't know they exist.
The result: Windows Photo Viewer sees a .heic file and reports it as an unrecognized format. File Explorer shows a generic document icon. Nothing opens it by default, and the error message offers no useful guidance.
Android handles HEIC inconsistently. Some manufacturers build in support, others don't. Most Android versions below 12 have no native HEIC handling at all. Web browsers — including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge — have limited support. Can I Use tracks the current state of HEIC browser support, and it's fragmented enough that you cannot rely on it for anything public-facing.
Most email clients — Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail on non-Apple platforms — don't render HEIC inline. Most design tools don't accept it as input. Most CMSs reject the upload entirely. The format that saves Apple users storage becomes a problem the moment it leaves the Apple ecosystem.
Google Photos can open HEIC files, but only after upload. If you share a .heic directly via email, Slack, or a messaging app, the recipient may not be able to open it — even if both parties have Gmail. The file needs to be converted first.
What happens when you convert HEIC to JPG
Converting HEIC to JPG re-encodes the image data using the JPG codec. Three things change; two things don't.
What changes:
- File size increases. HEIC is more storage-efficient than JPG. A 1.8MB HEIC typically becomes 3–4MB as a JPG at 90% quality. Converting to JPG makes the file larger — which surprises people who expect compression tools to make things smaller.
- Some image data is lost. JPG is a lossy format. At 90% quality the visual difference is imperceptible at normal screen sizes. At lower settings (below 70%) you'll see JPG artifacts — blocky edges, smearing in fine detail. A good HEIC image converter uses 90%+ quality to keep the output visually identical to the source.
- Live Photo video is discarded. HEIC can store a short video clip alongside the still. JPG cannot. That motion component is dropped on conversion. The still image is preserved intact.
What stays the same:
- Resolution. A 4032×3024 HEIC file becomes a 4032×3024 JPG. Pixel dimensions don't change unless you explicitly resize the image.
- EXIF metadata. GPS coordinates, shooting date, camera model, exposure settings — all of this carries over from HEIC to JPG. You can view it in Windows File Explorer under file properties, or in any EXIF viewer.
HEIC to JPG vs. HEIC to PNG — which to choose
The choice between JPG and PNG as your output format depends on what you're doing with the file afterwards.
| Output | File size | Quality loss | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | Medium (3–4MB) | Minimal at 90% | Sharing, social, web upload |
| PNG | Large (5–8MB) | None (lossless) | Editing, archiving, print |
| WebP | Small (1.5–2.5MB) | Minimal at 90% | Web publishing only |
For most people sharing photos or uploading to a website: JPG. Fast, small, opens everywhere. For archiving original iPhone photos you might edit later: PNG. Larger files, but nothing is ever discarded — every pixel from the HEIC original is preserved exactly.
WebP is worth considering for website use — it's 25–35% smaller than JPG at equivalent visual quality — but it's not a format you'd send to a person. The image converter supports all three output formats from HEIC input.
How to convert HEIC files free (step by step)
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ImagesTools converts HEIC files free, with no account required, on any browser — desktop or mobile. Files are processed and deleted within 1 hour.
- 1
Open the converter
Go to the image converter tool. No account needed, no software to install.
- 2
Upload your HEIC files
Drag and drop one or multiple .heic files into the upload area. Batch upload works — you can convert an entire folder at once. Free plan supports files up to 10MB each; Pro supports up to 50MB.
- 3
Select your output format
Choose JPG for sharing and web use. Choose PNG if you plan to edit the files further or need lossless output. The converter defaults to 90% quality for JPG.
- 4
Download
Single files download directly. Multiple files download as a ZIP archive. Processing takes under 2 seconds per file on most connections.
The converter uses Sharp — a C++ image processing library built on libvips — for HEIC decoding and JPG/PNG encoding. It's fast enough that batch-converting 340 HEIC files from a wedding shoot (the kind of thing that used to mean a Saturday afternoon in Preview) takes under ten minutes, most of which is the download.
If you need to both convert and resize — common when uploading to platforms with strict dimension requirements — convert first, then use the image resizer on the JPG output. Both tools are free, no account required.
When to keep HEIC (and when to convert)
HEIC isn't a problem you need to solve permanently. In some workflows it's the right format to stay in.
Keep HEIC when:
- Staying within Apple's ecosystem. iPhone → Mac → iCloud → Apple TV → AirDrop to another iPhone. Every step handles HEIC natively. No conversion needed, and you keep the smaller file size.
- Storage is tight. Keeping HEIC on your device saves roughly 50% of storage compared to JPG mode. If you're backing up to an Apple Photos library and never sharing outside it, HEIC is simply the right format.
- Live Photos matter. HEIC preserves the short video clip in Live Photos. Converting strips it. If you use Live Photos for memories or motion effects, stay in HEIC within the ecosystem and only convert copies that need to go elsewhere.
Convert to JPG or PNG when:
- Sharing with Windows or Android users. They can't open the file without extra software they probably don't have. Send a JPG.
- Uploading to a website. Squarespace, Shopify, WordPress, most portfolio platforms — they either reject HEIC outright or silently fail on upload. Convert first.
- Sending via email or messaging. Gmail, Outlook, Slack, and most messaging apps don't render HEIC inline. The recipient sees a broken image or a download they can't open. JPG renders everywhere.
- Using a design tool. Figma, Canva, Adobe Express, Google Slides — most web-based design tools don't accept HEIC. Convert to JPG or PNG first; the image compressor can reduce the JPG file size afterwards if needed.
- Professional photo delivery. Clients expect JPGs. Photographers who receive HEIC files from a second shooter using an iPhone need to convert the whole batch before delivery. Batch upload handles this without converting one file at a time.
The practical rule: if you're keeping the photos inside Apple's apps, leave them in HEIC. The moment you need to share or use them somewhere else, convert. The conversion takes seconds. The compatibility headaches it prevents take considerably longer.
Convert HEIC to JPG or PNG — free, no account
No watermark. No signup. Files deleted within 1 hour. Batch conversion supported.
Open HEIC ConverterFrequently asked questions
Can I convert HEIC to JPG without losing quality?
At 90% quality, the visual difference is invisible at any normal screen size. The conversion technically removes some data — HEIC is more efficient than JPG — but at 90%+ quality it's indistinguishable from the original. If zero quality loss is required, convert to PNG (lossless) instead.
Why does my iPhone save photos as HEIC instead of JPG?
Apple switched to HEIC as the default camera format in iOS 11 (2017) because HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPGs at equivalent quality — a meaningful storage saving on a device where every gigabyte counts. You can force JPG in Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.
Can Windows open HEIC files?
Not without extra software. Windows requires the HEVC Video Extensions (available from the Microsoft Store) or a third-party viewer. The simplest fix is converting HEIC to JPG before sharing — the recipient needs nothing extra to open the file.
Is HEIC better quality than JPG?
At the same file size, yes. HEIC achieves better image quality than JPG because of a more efficient compression algorithm. A 1.5MB HEIC file looks better than a 1.5MB JPG of the same scene. A high-quality JPG at a larger file size can match or exceed HEIC. The real difference is storage efficiency, not peak quality.
How do I convert multiple HEIC files at once?
The ImagesTools converter supports batch upload. Drop multiple .heic files at once, select JPG or PNG as the output format, and download all converted files as a single ZIP archive. No file limit on the batch — only the per-file size limit (10MB free, 50MB Pro).
Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce the resolution?
No. Pixel dimensions stay identical. A 4032×3024 HEIC file becomes a 4032×3024 JPG. Resolution only changes if you explicitly resize the image — which you can do with the image resizer after conversion.