What Is HEIC Format?

HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It is Apple’s implementation
of the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) standard, which was developed by the Moving
Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and adopted by Apple in iOS 11, released in September 2017.

Before HEIC, every iPhone photo was saved as a JPG. Starting with the iPhone 7 on iOS 11,
Apple switched the default camera format to HEIC — and most iPhone users had no idea it
happened.

The technology behind HEIC is genuinely impressive. It uses the HEVC (H.265)
compression codec — the same technology used for 4K video streaming — adapted for
still images. The result is photos that are roughly 40–50% smaller than equivalent
JPG files, with no visible loss in quality.

A typical iPhone photo saved as JPG might be 4–6 MB. The same photo in HEIC is 1.5–2.5 MB.
For someone taking hundreds of photos a month, that difference adds up to gigabytes of saved
storage over a year.

Why Can’t Anyone Open Your HEIC Photos?

The problem is not with HEIC itself — it’s an excellent format. The problem is
compatibility. Despite being around since 2017, HEIC is still not
universally supported.

Here’s where HEIC fails you:

• Windows 10 and 11 — cannot open HEIC files without installing a paid
  extension from the Microsoft Store (HEIF Image Extensions, $0.99)
• Android phones — most Android gallery apps cannot display HEIC files
• Older Macs — macOS High Sierra and earlier do not support HEIC
• Most websites — you cannot upload HEIC to Instagram, Facebook,
  Twitter/X, LinkedIn, or most web forms
• WhatsApp and Telegram — may convert automatically but often with
  quality loss or display issues
• Email attachments — recipients on Windows or Android see a blank
  file icon or an error
• Older photo editing software — Photoshop older than CC 2018, GIMP
  older than 2.10.16, and many other editors cannot open HEIC
• WordPress and web CMSs — most reject HEIC uploads entirely

HEIC vs JPG — Full Comparison

The verdict is clear: HEIC is the better format for storage, but JPG is the right
format for sharing. Converting before you send is the practical solution.

How to Convert HEIC to JPG — Step by Step

ConvertHub Pro converts HEIC files entirely in your browser using the open-source
heic2any library. Your photos are never uploaded to any server — the
conversion happens locally on your device, keeping your photos completely private.

1. 1
   Open the HEIC to JPG converterOn ConvertHub Pro, click the Image tab in the tools section,
   then click the HEIC to JPG card. The conversion tool opens in a
   popup window.

2. 2
   Upload your HEIC filesDrag and drop your .heic files into the upload area, or click
   “Browse” to select them from your device. You can upload multiple files
   at once for batch conversion — there is no file limit.

3. 3
   Click ConvertClick the Convert button. Your browser processes the files
   using heic2any — this takes 1–3 seconds per photo depending on your device speed.
   No internet connection is needed after the page loads.

4. 4
   Download your JPG filesWhen conversion is complete, a green Download button appears
   next to each file. Click it to save the JPG to your device. For multiple files,
   a “Download all” button appears to save everything at once.

How to Transfer HEIC Photos from iPhone to Computer

Before you can convert, you need to get the photos off your iPhone. Depending on your
setup, HEIC files may automatically convert to JPG during transfer — or they may not.

Transfer via USB cable (Windows)

When you connect your iPhone to a Windows PC via USB and import photos through the
Windows Photos app or File Explorer, Windows automatically converts HEIC to JPG
during the import if you have the right settings enabled.
Go to iPhone Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC and select
“Automatic”. This converts photos to a compatible format during transfer.

If you select “Keep Originals” instead, the files will transfer as HEIC — which is where
the compatibility problems begin.

Transfer via AirDrop or iCloud

Photos transferred via AirDrop to a Mac running macOS Mojave or later open fine in
Preview and Photos. If you then share those files to Windows or Android, they’ll still
be HEIC — convert them first using ConvertHub Pro.

Download from iCloud.com

If your photos are in iCloud, go to icloud.com/photos, select your
photos, and click the download icon. In the download options, choose
“Most Compatible” to download as JPG instead of HEIC.

How to Make Your iPhone Shoot in JPG by Default

If you prefer to skip the conversion step entirely, you can change your iPhone’s camera
settings to capture photos in JPG format from the start. You’ll use slightly more
storage, but your photos will be universally compatible.

1. 1
   Open the Settings appTap the grey Settings icon on your iPhone home screen.

2. 2
   Scroll down and tap CameraIt’s usually in the third group of settings, below Privacy.

3. 3
   Tap FormatsThis is the first option in the Camera settings menu.

4. 4
   Select “Most Compatible”This changes your camera to shoot in JPG format. Your photos
   will now open on any device without conversion. Note: your storage usage will
   increase by approximately 40–50% per photo.

Converting HEIC on a Mac (Without ConvertHub Pro)

If you’re on a Mac running macOS Mojave (10.14) or later, you can also convert HEIC
photos using the built-in Preview app — no third-party tools needed:

1. Open the HEIC file in Preview (double-click it)
2. Go to File → Export
3. In the Format dropdown, select JPEG
4. Adjust the Quality slider if needed, then click Save

For batch conversion on Mac, select multiple HEIC files in Finder, right-click,
choose Open With → Preview, then use
File → Export Selected Images to convert them all at once.

The browser-based method on ConvertHub Pro is faster for large batches and works
identically on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile — so it’s often the more practical
choice regardless of your device.

Does Converting HEIC to JPG Reduce Quality?

This is the most common concern — and the honest answer is: not in any way
you’ll notice.

HEIC and JPG both use lossy compression. When you convert HEIC to JPG at 90–95% quality,
the compression artifacts introduced are invisible to the human eye.
Professional photographers using pixel-peeping at 400% zoom might spot a marginal
difference, but for everyday use — sharing, printing, posting — the quality is
effectively identical.

What does change is file size. A converted JPG will typically be 20–40% larger
than the original HEIC, because JPG is less efficient at compression. You’re trading a
small amount of storage for complete compatibility.

Troubleshooting Common HEIC Conversion Issues

The file doesn’t appear to be a valid HEIC file

Some iPhones save Live Photos as .heic files that contain both a still
image and a short video clip. Make sure you’re selecting the still photo, not the
Live Photo video component. In your Photos app, tap the photo, tap Edit,
and confirm it shows as a photo, not a video.

Converted photo looks darker than the original

HEIC files store extended HDR (High Dynamic Range) data that standard JPG cannot
represent. When converted, the HDR data is tone-mapped to the standard brightness range,
which can make very bright highlights appear slightly different. This is a technical
limitation of the JPG format itself, not a bug in the converter.

The file transfers as .jpg already — why does it still fail to open?

Sometimes iPhones rename HEIC files with a .jpg extension during transfer
but don’t actually convert the file contents. If a photo named IMG_1234.jpg
won’t open, it may still be HEIC internally. Run it through the converter — it will
detect and convert the format regardless of the file extension.

Conversion is very slow for large files

HEIC conversion is more computationally intensive than simple format changes because
the HEVC codec is complex. On older devices or slow computers, a 12 MP photo may take
3–5 seconds to convert. This is normal. The conversion happens entirely on your device
— there is no server processing to speed it up.