How to convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG (and when a browser can't)

In Safari on an iPhone, iPad or Mac, open Convert image, drop in the HEIC photos, keep JPG selected and download. Chrome, Edge and Firefox cannot read HEIC, so the tool tells you when that is the case instead of producing a broken file. To stop new photos arriving as HEIC at all, change one iPhone camera setting, described below.

Steps

1. Open Convert image in Safari.
2. Drop the HEIC files on the box, or click to choose them. You can add several at once.
3. Under Convert to, keep JPG, which is already selected.
4. Under Quality, keep 92% or pick another preset (60%, 80%, 100%). 90% and above usually looks the same as the original.
5. Tap a thumbnail to compare any photo with its converted copy, then press Download, or download them all as one zip.

If you see This browser cannot open HEIC images, you are in a browser that does not read HEIC. Switch to Safari, or use one of the other routes below.

Why your photos are HEIC in the first place

HEIC (also called HEIF) is the format iPhones save photos in by default. It keeps a similar picture in a smaller file than JPG, which saves space on the phone. The catch is support: many upload forms, older Windows apps, printers and websites still expect JPG, and some refuse HEIC outright.

Converting re-saves the picture as a JPG at the quality you pick. At 92% you will not see a difference on screen.

Why it only works in some browsers

This tool converts in your browser, without sending the photo anywhere, so it can only convert what the browser itself can open. Safari reads HEIC; Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not, and no HEIC decoder is bundled with the tool. Rather than guess, the tool names the problem. Files the browser can open still convert, so a mixed batch of HEIC and JPG files is not lost.

Other ways to get JPG

The Most Compatible setting only changes photos taken after you switch it. Photos already in your library stay HEIC.

After converting

• Too big for a form? Take the JPG to Compress image and pick a target such as 100 KB. Compress accepts JPG, PNG and WebP, so convert first.
• Wrong pixel size? Use Resize image on the JPG.
• Need transparency? HEIC photos from a camera have none, so JPG loses nothing. Choose PNG only if your HEIC is a cut-out with a transparent background.

Converting also drops most hidden metadata, such as the camera model and GPS location. That is usually welcome when you share a photo, but keep the original if you need that information.

Questions

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

A little, because JPG is lossy, but at 92% it is not visible at normal viewing size. Avoid converting the same photo back and forth.

Why can't Chrome convert my HEIC file here?

Chrome cannot open HEIC images itself, and the tool relies on the browser to read the file. Use Safari, or change the iPhone setting.

Are my photos uploaded to convert them?

No. The conversion happens on your device in the browser. The photos are not sent to a server.

Is JPEG the same as JPG?

Yes. They are the same format with two spellings of the file extension. The tool saves files with the .jpg ending.