How to Convert HEIC to JPG with CloudConvert

HEIC is the default photo format on recent iPhones and iPads. It saves space, but many websites, older programs and some Windows setups cannot open it. CloudConvert is an online converter that can turn HEIC images into widely supported JPG files. This guide covers that one task: preparing your files, running the conversion and confirming the result.

Before you start

CloudConvert is a cloud service. Conversion does not happen on your device: your photos are uploaded, processed on the service's servers, and then returned for download. You need a working internet connection and a current web browser. Large batches will take longer to upload on a slow connection.

• Make copies of the HEIC files, or keep the originals untouched, so you can redo the conversion with different settings.
• Check the files are really HEIC or HEIF. The extension is usually .heic or .heif, and the format is often shown in your file manager's properties view.
• Decide whether location data and other metadata should stay in the JPG. Photos taken on a phone often include GPS coordinates.
• Review CloudConvert's current terms, privacy policy and free usage limits. File retention, deletion and daily allowances are set by the service and can change, so verify them yourself before uploading personal or sensitive images.
• If the photos must not leave your device, use a local converter instead (see the last section).

Step-by-step instructions

The web interface can change over time, so button labels may differ slightly from the description below. The overall flow stays the same: add files, choose JPG, convert, download.

• Open CloudConvert in your browser and go to its HEIC to JPG converter. You can also open the general converter and choose the formats yourself.
• Add your files. Uploading from your device is the usual route; the file picker may also offer other sources, such as a cloud storage account or a web address.
• Confirm that the output format for each file is set to JPG. When you add several files, check every entry, because each file can have its own target format.
• Open the conversion options if you want to change anything. Depending on the current interface, you may be able to adjust JPG quality, resize the image or remove metadata. If you are unsure, leave the defaults for the first attempt.
• Start the conversion and wait until every file reports that it is finished.
• Download the results. With several files, there may be an option to download them together as an archive.
• Keep the original HEIC files until you have checked the JPG copies.

About quality settings: JPG uses lossy compression. A higher quality value keeps more detail and produces a larger file; a lower value saves space but can add visible artifacts. Converting does not recover detail beyond what the HEIC already contains, so very high settings mostly increase file size.

Check the output

• Open each JPG in a regular image viewer and compare it with the original. Look for correct orientation, colors and sharpness.
• Check the pixel dimensions in the file properties. Unless you chose to resize, they should match the original photo.
• Expect the JPG to be larger than the HEIC at similar visual quality. HEIC compresses more efficiently, so a bigger file is normal and not a sign of an error.
• If metadata matters, check it in the file properties or an EXIF viewer: date taken, camera details and location. Confirm that location data was removed if you intended to remove it, or kept if you need it.
• Remember that JPG holds a single still image. Extra content that a HEIC file can carry, such as depth data or several images in one container, will not be kept in the same way. The motion part of a Live Photo is stored separately on the phone and is not part of this conversion.

Common problems and next steps

Upload fails or stalls: check your connection, try a smaller batch, and make sure the browser tab stays open until the upload completes. Browser extensions that block scripts can also interfere.

File is rejected or the conversion fails: the file may be damaged or not actually HEIC, for example a JPG that was renamed. Try opening it on the device that created it. If that works, export it again from there and retry.

Colors look different: phone photos are often stored with a wide color profile. If the JPG looks duller in one program but correct in another, the viewer may be ignoring the embedded color profile. Compare in a color-managed viewer before converting again.

Usage limit reached: free use of CloudConvert is limited. Wait for the allowance to reset, convert fewer files at a time, or check the service's current paid options.

You would rather not upload photos: convert locally instead. On a Mac, Preview can open a HEIC file and export it as JPEG. On Windows, the Photos app can open HEIC once the required HEIF and HEVC extensions are installed, and it can save a copy in another format.

You want to avoid HEIC in the future: on an iPhone, go to Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible to shoot in JPG. To keep shooting in HEIC but get compatible files when copying to a computer, go to Settings, then Photos, and set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic.