How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows PC

Every Windows user who receives photos from an iPhone eventually hits the same wall: HEIC files that Windows cannot open, preview, or use. The HEIC format is Apple's default since 2017, and while it saves storage space on iPhones, it creates compatibility headaches on Windows PCs.

This guide gives you three ways to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, from the fastest browser-based method to changing Windows settings for built-in support.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Open a browser-based converter

    The fastest method requires no software installation. Open imageconvert.co in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox on your Windows PC. The converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly to decode HEIC files, so nothing is uploaded to a server.

  2. Drag your HEIC files onto the converter

    Navigate to the folder containing your HEIC files in File Explorer. Select the files you want to convert (Ctrl+Click for individual files, Ctrl+A for all) and drag them onto the converter. You can convert multiple files at once. The converter shows progress for each file.

  3. Download your JPG files

    Each HEIC file is converted to JPG within seconds. Click Download on individual files or use Download All as ZIP to grab everything at once. The converted JPG files will open in Windows Photos, File Explorer thumbnails, Paint, and any other Windows application.

Method 2: Install Windows HEIC Support

If you want Windows to open HEIC files natively without converting, you can install codec extensions from the Microsoft Store. Search for HEIF Image Extensions (free) and install it. For full support including editing and some video thumbnails, also install HEVC Video Extensions, which costs $0.99.

After installation, Windows Photos, File Explorer, and Paint will recognize HEIC files. This method works well for your own computer but does not help when sharing HEIC files with others who may not have the codecs installed.

Method 3: Use the Windows Photos App

If you have the HEIF codec installed, you can open HEIC files in the Windows Photos app and save a copy as JPG. Open the HEIC file in Photos, click the three-dot menu, select Save as, and change the file type to JPG. This works for individual files but is impractical for batch conversion.

Why Browser-Based Conversion Is the Best Option

The browser-based method has several advantages over the other options.

Quality Considerations

HEIC and JPG are both lossy compression formats, so converting between them involves a generation of quality loss. In practice, at a quality setting of 90-95%, the difference between the HEIC original and the JPG output is imperceptible. The only way to preserve 100% of the image data is to convert to PNG (lossless), but the file sizes will be 3-5x larger than JPG.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it free to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows?

Yes. Using a browser-based converter like imageconvert.co is completely free with no file limits. The alternative of installing Windows HEIC codecs is mostly free (HEIF extension is free, HEVC extension is $0.99).

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

There is a tiny amount of quality loss since both are lossy formats, but at 90-95% JPG quality, it is invisible to the human eye. For most purposes, the converted JPG looks identical to the HEIC original.

Can I convert HEIC to JPG without internet?

The browser-based converter requires an initial internet connection to load the page, but all conversion happens locally in your browser. Once the page is loaded, you could disconnect and conversions would still work. For fully offline conversion, install the Windows HEIC codecs and use the Photos app.

Why does my PC not open HEIC files?

Windows does not include HEIC support by default because the HEVC codec used in HEIC files has patent licensing requirements. Microsoft cannot bundle it for free with Windows. You need to either install the codecs from the Microsoft Store or convert HEIC files to JPG.

Convert HEIC to JPG now

Convert HEIC to PNG (lossless)

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