HEIC to JPG: why iPhone photos won't open
Status first: ConvertMango's HEIC tool is not available. Our current plan is to process it on a server; that is a product design choice, not a requirement of the HEIC format. We will explain its privacy behaviour and limits before launch, and we are not promising a date. This guide explains the problem and the routes to JPG that exist today. The planned tool will live at HEIC to JPG, which is a placeholder for now.
Myth: "HEIC is a broken or unusual image format"
Fact: it is a standardised format that is simply newer than JPG. The Library of Congress describes HEIF as an international standard, ISO/IEC 23008-12, first published in 2017. HEIC is a subtype: the .heic extension is used for a HEIF file containing HEVC-coded image items. The same page notes that Apple announced its adoption of HEIF at WWDC 2017, and iPhones started capturing in it with iOS 11.
So nothing is wrong with the photo. The trouble is the other end: a program, website or operating system that does not understand the format.
Myth: "My photo is corrupted because it won't open"
Fact: A HEIC file may fail to open because the software does not support it, but damage or an incomplete transfer is also possible. Keep the original and try compatible software before deciding what caused the problem. MDN's guide to image types covers formats that web browsers handle, such as JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF, and HEIC does not appear in it. That is a reasonable hint as to why web upload forms, older software and some Windows setups reject iPhone photos: JPG is the format almost everything accepts, and HEIC is not on that list.
I could not verify from an official Microsoft page exactly which Windows versions need extra components to open HEIC, so I will not guess. If a Windows app will not open the file, keep the original and try other compatible software before deciding what caused the problem.
Myth: "iPhones can only shoot HEIC"
Fact: you can choose. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Camera, then Formats, and pick between High Efficiency and Most Compatible. Apple's support page says that with Most Compatible, "all new photos and videos will now be in JPEG or H.264 format". Apple says these formats work with more devices and operating systems but take more storage, whereas High Efficiency (HEIF and HEVC) is the space-saving option. The Most Compatible option only appears on iPhone and iPad models that can capture HEIF or HEVC.
This only affects photos taken from then on. It does not change photos you have already taken.
| Camera format setting | Photo format | Trade-off (per Apple) |
|---|---|---|
| High Efficiency | HEIF (.heic) | Saves storage; less widely supported |
| Most Compatible | JPEG | Works with more devices and systems; uses more storage |
Myth: "Getting a JPG means I must install a converter"
Fact: there are several routes, and some need no extra software.
Route 1: change the setting for future photos
Use Settings, Camera, Formats, Most Compatible, as above. It is the simplest fix if the problem will keep recurring.
Route 2: let the transfer convert it
Apple's page on HEIF and HEVC says that when you import this media from an iPhone or iPad into Photos, Image Capture or a PC, "the media may be converted to JPEG or H.264". Note the word "may". To stop conversion and keep the originals, Apple says to go to Settings, then Apps, then Photos, and turn on Keep Originals. So if you are getting HEIC files on your computer and you want JPG, check that setting is not forcing originals. I could not confirm from Apple's pages how the setting is labelled on every iOS version, so look for the equivalent option if your menu differs.
Route 3: convert the files you already have
For photos that are already HEIC, on a compatible Mac, open a copy in Preview, choose File > Export, select JPEG and save the exported copy. Keep the original HEIC. Apple's support page also describes conversion and import behaviour on supported devices. ConvertMango's own HEIC tool is not available. If your images are already PNG or JPG and you need to move between those, the tools that do exist are PNG to JPG and JPG to PNG. They do not read HEIC files.
Myth: "Converting HEIC to JPG makes the photo worse in a big way"
Fact: it depends, and I will not give you a percentage, because I have not measured one for HEIC. What can be said from the sources is structural. HEIC images contain HEVC-coded items and JPG is a separate lossy format. A lossy JPEG export can discard information, and source encoding varies. Whether you can see any change depends on how the HEIC was encoded, the export quality setting and the photo.
If you want to keep a best-quality copy, keep the original HEIC and treat the JPG as the shareable version, much as you would keep a PNG master next to a JPG copy. PNG vs JPG explains the lossless-versus-lossy trade-off in the more familiar pair of formats.
Myth: "A HEIC file is just a smaller JPG"
Fact: it is a different kind of file. HEIF is a container. The Library of Congress page describes HEIF as "not an image or video encoder per se", and says a HEIF file can hold any number of image items. HEIC specifically contains HEVC-coded images. So a .heic file can carry more than a single flat picture, which is part of why simple viewers cannot open it.
What the planned tool will and will not be
We are being deliberately cautious here. What we can say today:
- Our HEIC tool is planned but unavailable. Our current design would use server processing; its privacy behaviour and limits will be explained before launch.
- Because it would work differently, its privacy behaviour and limits will be stated when it exists. Do not assume it will match the browser tools.
- There is no release date.
The current image tools, for the record, work on one image at a time, up to 50 MB and 40 megapixels. You get five free conversions a day without signing up, and the allowance resets at 00:00 UTC. A conversion only counts when it succeeds.
Quick decision guide
- Only a few photos, now: on a compatible Mac, export a copy as JPEG from Preview (see Route 3) and keep the original; otherwise use compatible software of your choice.
- A sharing problem that keeps happening: set the iPhone to Most Compatible.
- Photos arriving on a PC as HEIC when you want JPG: check Apple's Keep Originals setting and the import route you use.
- Already have PNG or JPG: how to convert PNG to JPG covers that case.
About the matching tool
Our HEIC to JPG tool is planned but not available yet, because it needs server processing. The tools that are available now are listed on the home page.
Frequently asked questions
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC is a type of HEIF file, an image container standardised as ISO/IEC 23008-12, whose images are compressed with HEVC. Apple adopted HEIF in 2017 and recent iPhones can capture photos in it.
How do I make my iPhone take JPG photos?
Go to Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. Apple says new photos and videos will then be in JPEG or H.264 format.
Does ConvertMango convert HEIC to JPG?
ConvertMango's HEIC tool is not available. Our current plan is to process it on a server; that is a product design choice, not a requirement of the HEIC format. We will explain its privacy behaviour and limits before launch.
Related tools
More guides
Sources
- Library of Congress, 'HEIF, High Efficiency Image File Format', https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000525.shtml
- Apple Support (UK), 'Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices', https://support.apple.com/en-gb/116944
- MDN Web Docs, 'Image file type and format guide', https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Guides/Formats/Image_types