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How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac (3 Ways, No Upload Required)

/ 5 min read
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You export photos from your iPhone, send them to a client, and get a reply: “I can’t open this file.” The file is .heic. Your client is on Windows, or using an older app that doesn’t support it.

This happens constantly. HEIC (High Efficiency Image Coding) has been Apple’s default photo format since iOS 11. It produces files roughly half the size of JPG at the same quality. Great for storage. Terrible for compatibility.

Here are three ways to convert HEIC to JPG on your Mac, all without uploading anything to a website.

Why Your iPhone Takes HEIC Photos

Apple switched to HEIC in 2017 because it saves significant storage space. A 12-megapixel photo that would be 3-4 MB as JPG comes out around 1.5-2 MB as HEIC. It also supports 16-bit color depth and transparency, which JPG can’t do.

The problem is that HEIC support outside the Apple ecosystem is still spotty. Windows added native support in Windows 10 (via a free codec from the Microsoft Store), but many web tools, older apps, email clients, and CMS platforms still choke on it.

If you share photos regularly with non-Apple users or upload to platforms that expect JPG, you’ll need to convert.

Method 1: Preview (Built-in, One File at a Time)

The simplest way. No downloads, no setup. Already on your Mac.

Steps

  1. Right-click the HEIC file and open with Preview
  2. Go to File > Export
  3. In the Format dropdown, select JPEG
  4. Adjust the quality slider if needed (80% is a good balance)
  5. Choose where to save and click Save

When to Use This

This works fine for one or two photos. But if you have 50 vacation photos to convert, doing this one at a time will drive you crazy. Preview also only exports to a handful of formats: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and HEIC. No WebP, no AVIF.

Method 2: Automator Quick Action (Batch, Free)

Automator lets you build a right-click menu action that converts multiple HEIC files at once. It takes a few minutes to set up, but then it’s always available.

Setting It Up

  1. Open Automator (search in Spotlight)
  2. Choose Quick Action as the document type
  3. Set “Workflow receives current” to image files in Finder
  4. From the left sidebar, drag Change Type of Images into the workflow area
  5. Select JPEG as the output type
  6. Automator will ask if you want to add a “Copy Finder Items” step to preserve originals. Click Add unless you want to replace the HEIC files
  7. Save the Quick Action with a name like “Convert to JPG”

Using It

  1. Select one or more HEIC files in Finder
  2. Right-click > Quick Actions > Convert to JPG
  3. Done. JPG files appear in the same folder (or wherever you set the copy destination)

Limitations

This works well for basic JPG conversion. But you get no quality control, no option to resize, and the only output formats are whatever macOS supports natively. If you need WebP or AVIF output, or want to control compression quality per batch, you’ll need something else.

Method 3: Sqz (Batch, Multiple Formats, Quality Control)

For anything beyond simple one-off conversion, I use Sqz. Full disclosure: I built it. But I built it because I kept running into the exact limitations above.

What It Does Differently

Drop a folder of HEIC files in. Pick your output format: JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, or even JPEG XL. Set your target quality or file size. Hit convert.

Everything runs locally on your Mac. No files get uploaded anywhere. This matters if you’re converting photos that contain personal information, client work, or anything you’d rather not send to a random web tool.

Steps

  1. Open Sqz
  2. Drag your HEIC files (or entire folders) into the window
  3. Choose your output format and quality settings
  4. Click Convert
  5. Converted files save to your chosen destination

When This Makes Sense

If you regularly deal with photo conversion, whether for a blog, client deliverables, or just sharing vacation photos, having quality control and format options saves time. The WebP and AVIF support is particularly useful if you’re optimizing images for the web, since both formats produce smaller files than JPG at the same visual quality.

Which Method Should You Use?

One photo, quick share? Preview. It’s already there, takes 10 seconds.

Occasional batch of JPGs? Set up the Automator Quick Action once. Free, built-in, handles the common case.

Regular photo work, web optimization, or format flexibility? A dedicated tool gives you the quality control and format options that the built-in methods lack.

A Note on Web-Based Converters

You’ll find dozens of “HEIC to JPG” websites if you search. They work, but think about what you’re doing: uploading personal photos to someone else’s server. Those photos contain EXIF metadata with GPS coordinates, camera info, and timestamps. Some sites say they delete uploads after conversion. Some don’t say anything at all.

For photos you’d share publicly anyway, web tools are fine. For anything personal or sensitive, keep the conversion on your Mac.

Quick Fix: Change Your iPhone’s Default Format

If compatibility is your main concern, you can tell your iPhone to shoot JPG instead of HEIC:

  1. Open Settings > Camera > Formats
  2. Select Most Compatible

This switches to JPG capture. Your photos will be about twice the size, but you’ll never have a compatibility issue again. It’s a trade-off between storage and convenience. Most people with iCloud storage won’t notice the difference.