Make Mac BetterHow to convert HEIC photos to JPG on a Mac
iPhones save photos as HEIC, which takes up less space but isn’t accepted everywhere. A Mac can convert them in seconds, one at a time or in batches, without any website.
Step by step
Select the photos in the Finder
Select one or more .heic files. Control-click and choose Quick Actions › Convert Image.
Choose JPEG and the size
Set the format to JPEG and choose a size (actual size keeps the resolution). New copies are created next to the originals.
Or export from Preview
Open the photo in Preview, choose File › Export, pick JPEG and move the quality slider. To export several, select them in the sidebar and use File › Export Selected Images.
From the Photos app
Select the photos and choose File › Export › Export Photos, with JPEG as the type. Useful if they are in your library and not in a folder.
How do I make my iPhone send JPG directly?
On the iPhone, open the Photos settings (Settings › Apps › Photos on recent iOS) and set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic: it converts photos to a compatible format when you copy them by cable. Or, in Settings › Camera › Formats, “Most Compatible” takes photos in JPEG from the start.
Does converting to JPG lose quality?
JPEG compresses a little more than HEIC. With high quality the difference is not visible, but the file will be somewhat larger.
How do I convert hundreds at once?
The Quick Action handles many files. In Make Mac Better, Tools › Convert images processes whole batches to JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF or WebP in the background, and Strip metadata removes location and camera data before you share.
Is it safe to use an online HEIC converter?
Your photos would be uploaded to someone else’s server, with their location and dates. On a Mac it isn’t necessary: every option here works without an internet connection.