How to Convert HEIC Photos to JPG (And Why iPhones Use HEIC in the First Place)

If you've ever transferred photos from an iPhone to a Windows PC — or tried to upload an iPhone photo to a website — and gotten an error about an unsupported file type, you've run into the HEIC problem. Here's what's happening and how to fix it.

What is HEIC?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the file format Apple uses to save photos on iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 and later. It's based on the HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) standard developed by the MPEG group.

The reason Apple switched to HEIC is straightforward: it's significantly more efficient than JPG. An HEIC photo typically takes up about half the storage of an equivalent-quality JPG. For a phone with 128 GB of storage and thousands of photos, that difference is meaningful.

HEIC also supports features JPG doesn't: storing multiple images in one file (used for Live Photos and burst shots), 16-bit color depth, and lossless editing of exposure and color without re-encoding the entire file.

The problem: compatibility

HEIC is supported natively on Apple devices and macOS. Everywhere else, support is inconsistent.

Windows 10 and 11 require a paid codec extension from the Microsoft Store to open HEIC files. Most Android phones can't open them. Many websites, forms, and apps that accept image uploads reject HEIC files. Most printing services don't accept them.

If you're sending photos to someone not on an Apple device, uploading to a website, or delivering photos to a client, you'll often need JPG.

How to convert HEIC to JPG

Method 1: BG Bueno Image Converter (fastest, no software needed)

1. 1Go to BG Bueno's Image Converter.
2. 2Upload your HEIC file.
3. 3Select JPG as the output format and set quality (82 is a good default).
4. 4Download the converted file.

All conversion happens in your browser — no uploads to external servers.

Method 2: Prevent HEIC at capture time (iPhone setting)

If you want your iPhone to always save photos as JPG so you never have to convert:

1. 1Open Settings → Camera → Formats.
2. 2Select Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency.

Your camera will now save photos as JPG. The trade-off is larger file sizes — roughly double per photo.

Method 3: Share as JPG from iPhone

When sharing photos from the iPhone Photos app to a non-Apple destination, iPhone automatically converts HEIC to JPG. If you're AirDropping to a Mac, you get HEIC. If you're emailing to a non-Apple address or uploading to most apps, iPhone converts to JPG on the fly.

This automatic conversion doesn't happen when you transfer photos via USB cable to a Windows PC — you get the raw HEIC files.

Method 4: Enable automatic conversion on Windows

Windows 10 and 11 can be configured to automatically convert HEIC files during import via the Photos app: Settings → Camera import → Change what happens when you import photos → Convert to JPG.

What quality to use when converting

HEIC photos are typically stored at a quality equivalent to JPG 85–90. When converting to JPG, using quality 82–88 preserves the visual quality of the original without producing unnecessarily large files.

Avoid converting at quality 95–100 — this makes the file significantly larger than the original HEIC without any visual improvement, since you can't recover detail that was compressed away at capture.

HEIC vs JPG: file size comparison

A typical iPhone 15 photo saved as HEIC is around 2–4 MB. The same photo converted to JPG at quality 85 is around 4–8 MB. The HEIC file is roughly half the size at equivalent visual quality — which is the whole point of the format.

For personal use on Apple devices, HEIC is fine and the superior choice. For anything involving sharing with non-Apple users, websites, or professional workflows, JPG remains the practical standard.