HEIC is the format iPhones use for photos since iOS 11: same look, about half the size of JPEG. It works well inside the Apple world, but many apps, forms and Windows PCs refuse it. To get a JPG you can make the iPhone shoot JPEG going forward, let it convert copies when you transfer, or convert the HEIC files you already have, for example with the free converter below, which runs in your browser and uploads nothing.
Convert HEIC to JPG →Why your iPhone photos are HEIC
Since iOS 11 (2017), iPhones save photos as HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) instead of JPEG. HEIC keeps similar quality at roughly half the file size, which is why Apple made it the default. Inside an iPhone, iPad or Mac everything opens it. The friction starts outside: web forms, office documents, older editors and Windows PCs often want the familiar .jpg.
Option 1: shoot JPEG from now on
- Open Settings on the iPhone.
- Go to Camera, then Formats.
- Choose Most Compatible.
- Photos you take from now on are saved as JPEG. Existing HEIC photos stay as they are.
Option 2: let the iPhone convert on transfer
The iPhone can convert copies automatically when you move photos to a computer. In Settings, go to Photos and set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic: when you copy photos over USB, the iPhone sends a JPEG copy instead of the HEIC original. Sharing from the Photos app also converts in many cases, so a photo sent by Mail or Messages often arrives as JPEG. None of this changes the originals in your library.
Option 3: convert the files you already have
- Copy or download the .heic photos to any device: Windows PC, Mac, Android or the iPhone itself.
- Open the HEIC to JPG converter below in an updated browser.
- Choose the photos, or drop a ZIP of them, and convert. You can adjust the JPG quality before converting.
- Download the JPG copies one by one or as a ZIP. Keep the HEIC originals.
What the converter does and does not do
TotImage converts HEIC to JPG inside your browser: the photos never leave your device, which matters when they are personal pictures or work documents. Conversion is one image per file, metadata like location is removed, and JPG uses JPEG compression, so a converted copy can lose a little detail. Transparent areas are flattened onto a white background. For archiving, keep the HEIC originals; use the JPG where something asks for it.
On Windows without converting
If you only need to view HEIC photos on Windows, Microsoft offers a free HEIF Image Extension in the Store; the Photos app also asks for the HEVC Video Extensions, which are paid. Even then, many programs still will not accept HEIC, so a JPG copy remains the practical fix for sharing, forms and documents.
Keep your originals. Conversion creates a new copy; metadata, HDR and extra frames are not retained.
Questions, answered
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
JPG is a lossy format, so some detail is discarded, but at high quality the difference is invisible for normal photos. Keep the HEIC originals as your master copies and use the JPG where an app asks for it.
Can I convert many HEIC photos at once?
Yes. The converter accepts batches and whole ZIP files, and returns the JPG copies together, individually or in one ZIP. Very large batches depend on your device memory, so converting in smaller groups is safer on a phone.
Why does Windows charge for opening HEIC?
Windows needs two add-ons: the HEIF Image Extension, which is free, and the HEVC Video Extensions, which are paid. HEIC photos use the HEVC codec, so the Photos app asks for both. Converting in the browser skips all of that.
Do the JPG copies keep my photo metadata?
No. TotImage does not retain metadata, so the JPG copies carry no location or camera information. That is good for privacy when you share them, and one more reason to keep the HEIC originals.
Sources
Keep going
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Read the guide →How to open HEIC files on Windows 10 and 11
Open HEIC photos with Windows codecs, or make a PNG copy in your browser without installing an extension.
Read the guide →How to convert many HEIC photos at once: batches and ZIP
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Read the guide →Why images save as WebP, and how to get JPG or PNG
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Read the guide →What is an AVIF file, and how to open it or convert it to JPG or PNG
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