If you have ever AirDropped a photo from an iPhone to a Windows laptop and watched it land as a .heic file that nothing will open, you have hit one of the most common cross-platform image headaches of the last few years. The good news is the fix is simple. The slightly annoying news is that Microsoft makes you jump through a few hoops to do it natively.
Why iPhones use HEIC
Apple switched the default camera format to HEIC in iOS 11 (2017) because HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPG at the same visual quality. On a phone that takes hundreds or thousands of photos, that adds up to gigabytes of saved storage. HEIC also supports features JPG cannot — like Live Photos, depth maps, and 10-bit colour for HDR shots.
Why Windows struggles with HEIC
HEIC uses the HEVC (H.265) video codec for image compression. HEVC is patented, and the licensing fees mean Microsoft cannot ship a HEVC decoder with Windows for free. So Windows includes a HEIF Image Extension for the container, but you also need the HEVC Video Extension to actually decode the picture. On many machines that second extension is missing or asks for a small fee from the Microsoft Store.
That is why the same .heic file might open fine on one Windows PC and refuse to open on another. It depends on which extensions are installed and whether they were preloaded by the manufacturer.
How to convert HEIC to JPG
You have three practical options:
- Change the iPhone setting first. Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible. From that point on, your iPhone captures JPG. Existing HEIC files do not change.
- Convert each file individually using a browser-based tool. Drag the .heic file in, download a .jpg out. No installs, no extensions, no Microsoft Store purchase.
- Install the paid Microsoft HEVC Video Extension. Cheap, but ongoing per-device cost and you still have to do it on every PC.
Quality considerations
JPG is a lossy format, so the converted file is not pixel-identical to the HEIC source. In practice, at quality 90 the difference is invisible to the eye for everyday photos. If you plan to crop or edit aggressively afterwards, choose quality 95 or convert to PNG instead, then compress later when you know the final use.
Privacy-friendly conversion
HEIC files often contain personal photos — family, kids, medical photos, identity documents. Uploading them to an unknown third-party converter is a real privacy concern. Many of those services store, scan, or even train models on what you upload.
Browser-based converters like the one on this site never send your image to a server. The decoding and re-encoding happens entirely on your device using JavaScript and Web APIs. When you close the tab, nothing is left behind on our side, because nothing was ever there.
Other tips
- Live Photos: only the still frame survives a HEIC → JPG conversion. The video portion is in a separate .mov file on the iPhone.
- Depth and portrait data: lost during JPG conversion. Keep the original HEIC if you want to edit portrait blur later.
- Batch conversion: convert in groups of 20–30 to keep your browser memory happy on older devices.
- EXIF metadata: most converters preserve camera, lens, and date, but strip GPS coordinates by default for privacy.
Frequently asked questions
Will the converted JPG be much bigger than the HEIC?+
Yes — roughly twice the size, because that is the trade-off HEIC was designed to win. If you need both small and compatible, convert to JPG at quality 80.
Can I keep HEIC quality after converting?+
Convert to PNG instead of JPG to avoid lossy recompression. PNG files will be much larger but pixel-accurate.
Does converting HEIC to JPG remove location data?+
Browser-based tools usually strip GPS metadata by default. If you need to keep it, check the converter's options before downloading.
Why does iCloud send me JPGs instead of HEICs?+
iCloud Photos converts on the fly when sharing with a non-Apple device. The originals on your phone are still HEIC.