What is HEIC and why do iPhones use it?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the default image format on iPhones since iOS 11 (2017). It uses the HEVC codec to store images at roughly half the file size of JPG while preserving the same visual quality. For a 12-megapixel photo, that's the difference between ~3 MB (JPG) and ~1.5 MB (HEIC).
For Apple users, this is great: more photos fit in the same iCloud storage. But the moment a HEIC file leaves the Apple ecosystem — uploaded to a website, opened on a Windows PC, sent to a non-Apple friend — compatibility becomes a real problem.
Why convert HEIC to JPG?
- Universal compatibility. JPG works everywhere: every browser, every CMS, every photo printing service, every social platform.
- Editing in old software. Photoshop CS6, older Lightroom versions, GIMP without plugins, and most Windows apps cannot open HEIC natively.
- Sharing without friction. A JPG attachment opens on every device. A HEIC often shows up as a broken thumbnail.
- Web uploads. Many websites reject HEIC during upload, or accept it and then fail to display it.
How to convert HEIC to JPG online
- Upload your HEIC files — drag them onto the upload area, click to browse, or paste from clipboard. You can add up to 30 at once.
- Pick output format and quality — JPG at 90% is the sweet spot for file size vs visual quality. Choose PNG if you want strict lossless output.
- Click Convert — processing runs locally in your browser using WebAssembly. Files stay on your device throughout.
- Download — save each file individually, or grab them all as a single ZIP.
HEIC vs JPG: Format comparison
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | ~50% smaller | Baseline |
| Quality at same size | Higher | Lower |
| Compatibility | Apple-first, limited elsewhere | Universal |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| 16-bit color | Yes | No (8-bit only) |
| Best for | Phone storage | Sharing & web upload |
When to keep HEIC instead
If you only view photos on Apple devices and care about iCloud storage, keep them in HEIC. The only reason to convert is when a HEIC file is going somewhere outside the Apple ecosystem.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows
Windows does not read HEIC files in most contexts without extra software. Microsoft offers a paid HEIF Image Extension in the Microsoft Store that lets Windows Photos and File Explorer thumbnail HEIC files, but it does not help Photoshop, older Office versions, or web upload forms — those still reject HEIC regardless.
The fastest path that requires zero installation: open Chrome or Edge on your Windows PC, go to PixTools, drop your HEIC files in, and download standard JPGs in seconds. The conversion runs entirely in the browser, so it works on any Windows version without touching your system settings.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone
You can convert HEIC to JPG directly on your iPhone — no app download needed. Open Safari, visit pixtools.app/heic-to-jpg, tap the upload zone, and choose photos from your library. Safari on iOS 15 and later includes a HEIC decoder, so the conversion runs in the browser. The output JPG is saved to your Downloads folder and is ready to share or upload anywhere.
This is useful when you need to send a photo to a form or service that rejects HEIC — convert on the spot without switching to a computer.
How to stop iPhone from saving photos as HEIC
If you want every new photo to be JPG from the start, go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. Your iPhone will shoot JPG instead of HEIC going forward. The trade-off is file size: JPG photos take up roughly twice the storage, so you will fill iCloud faster.
A middle-ground option is to keep HEIC on the device and let iOS auto-convert on share. When you AirDrop to a Mac or send via Messages, iOS often converts silently to JPG. However, USB transfers, email attachments, and most upload forms still receive the raw HEIC — so if compatibility is critical, converting explicitly with a tool gives you more control over the result.
Privacy: how PixTools handles your files
Every byte of your photo stays in your browser. The HEIC decoder is a WebAssembly module that runs locally — there is no upload to a server, no temporary file, no log. We are deliberate about this because photos are personal, and because it makes the tool faster (no network round-trip).