How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac (5 Free Ways)

What is a HEIC file?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the photo format Apple adopted in iOS 11 in 2017. It stores images using HEVC compression, which keeps more detail in a smaller file than JPG.

Macs open HEIC files natively, so you'll only notice the format when you try to upload a photo somewhere else and it gets rejected. That's when you need a JPG.

Method 1: Finder's Convert Image Quick Action

This is the fastest built-in option on macOS Monterey and later, and it works on many photos at once.

1. Select one or more HEIC photos in Finder.
2. Right-click (or Control-click) and choose Quick Actions → Convert Image.
3. Set Format to JPEG and pick an image size. Choose Actual Size to keep full resolution.
4. Click Convert to JPEG. The JPGs appear next to the originals.

The smaller size options are handy when a website has an upload limit. If you need finer control over file size, see our guide on compressing images on Mac.

Method 2: Export from Preview

Preview gives you a quality slider, so you can trade a little quality for a smaller file.

1. Open the HEIC photo in Preview.
2. Choose File → Export.
3. Set Format to JPEG, adjust the Quality slider, and click Save.

Converting many photos in Preview

Open all the photos in Preview at once, click any thumbnail in the sidebar, and press Command-A to select them all. Then choose File → Export Selected Images, click Options, set the format to JPEG, and pick a folder.

Method 3: Export from the Photos app

If your iPhone photos sync to the Photos app through iCloud, you can export JPGs directly from there.

1. Select the photos in Photos.
2. Choose File → Export → Export Photos (not "Export Unmodified Original", which keeps them as HEIC).
3. Set Photo Kind to JPEG, choose a quality, and click Export.

Method 4: Convert a whole folder in Terminal

macOS includes a command-line image tool called sips. It's useful when you have hundreds of files. Open Terminal, go to the folder with cd, and run:

mkdir -p jpg
for f in *.HEIC *.heic; do
  [ -e "$f" ] && sips -s format jpeg "$f" --out "jpg/${f%.*}.jpg"
done

This writes a JPG copy of every HEIC photo into a new jpg folder and leaves the originals untouched.

Method 5: One right-click with FinderBuddy

If you convert photos often, FinderBuddy puts a converter straight into Finder's right-click menu. Select your photos, right-click, choose FinderBuddy → Convert Image, and pick JPG. It handles one photo or a whole folder the same way, and it also converts between PNG, WebP, and HEIC.

Like every method above, the conversion happens on your Mac. Your photos are never uploaded. The setup guide shows how to turn on the Finder menu in under a minute.

How to stop your iPhone saving HEIC

If you'd rather get JPGs from the start, you have two options on your iPhone:

• Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible makes the camera save new photos as JPG. The files will be larger.
• Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic keeps HEIC on your phone but converts photos to JPG when you copy them to a computer over a cable.

Converting batches of photos usually comes with a tidy-up. Our guide to batch renaming files on Mac turns names like IMG_4821.jpg into something you can actually find later.