HEIC to JPG: how to open and convert iPhone photos on Windows
Why iPhone photos are HEIC files, why Windows and many websites can't open them, and the quickest ways to convert them to JPG.
· 1 min read
Since 2017, iPhones save photos in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) format. It keeps the same quality as JPG at roughly half the file size, which is great for your storage, and a headache when you copy photos to a Windows PC or upload them to a website that only accepts JPG or PNG.
Convert HEIC to JPG in your browser
- Add one or many HEIC photos.
- Choose JPG as the output format.
- Convert and download: one file, or a ZIP if you converted several.
Conversion runs on your device, so private photos aren't uploaded anywhere.
Why Windows can't open HEIC
HEIC uses the HEVC video codec to compress images. Windows 10 and 11 only open HEIC files if two extensions from the Microsoft Store are installed (HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions, the second of which costs a little). Many websites and older apps don't support it at all.
Stop your iPhone saving HEIC
If you'd rather get JPGs every time, go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos will be saved as JPG. Existing HEIC photos stay as they are.
Alternatively, iPhones convert photos to JPG automatically when you share them by email or upload them through Safari in many cases, so you may not always need to convert by hand.
HEIC or JPG: which should you keep?
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | About half | Larger |
| Compatibility | Apple, recent Windows/Android | Everywhere |
| Best for | Storing photos on your phone | Sharing, uploading, printing |
A good rule: keep HEIC on your phone to save space, and convert to JPG when you share.
Next steps
- Turning photos into a document? JPG to PDF accepts HEIC directly.
- Upload form says the file is too big? Shrink it with Compress image.