How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows

HEIC is the default photo format on many iPhones and some Android phones. It keeps files small, but plenty of websites, older editors and upload forms only accept JPG. Windows can open and re-save HEIC images itself once the right codec is installed. The methods below cover single photos and whole folders.

Before you start

Windows needs a HEIF/HEVC decoder to open HEIC files. Many Windows 10 and 11 installations already have it. If photos don't open, or show no thumbnail in File Explorer, install the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store. Some HEIC files also need the HEVC Video Extensions. Depending on your device and region, that extension may be preinstalled, free or paid. Check its Store listing before you install it.

• Copy the HEIC files to a working folder and convert the copies. Your originals stay untouched, so the process is fully reversible.
• Make sure there is free disk space. A JPG is usually larger than the HEIC it came from.
• Decide whether you need the photo's metadata, such as date, camera details and GPS location. Some tools keep it and others drop it, so you will check this after converting.

The Photos app, Paint and command-line tools such as ImageMagick all convert files locally on your computer. Online HEIC converters upload your photos to someone else's server. Before you use one, read its privacy and file-retention terms. Don't upload personal or sensitive images unless you have confirmed how those files are stored and deleted.

Step-by-step instructions

Convert a single photo with Paint

• Right-click the HEIC file, choose Open with, then choose Paint.
• Open the File menu and choose Save as, then pick JPEG picture.
• Give the file a name, choose a destination folder and click Save.
• If Paint shows an error or a blank canvas, the HEIF/HEVC extensions are missing or not working. See the problems section below.

Convert a single photo with the Photos app

Open the HEIC file in Photos and look for a Save as option. Depending on your Photos version, it is in the three-dot menu or under the Ctrl+Shift+S shortcut. In the save dialog, set the file type to JPG, if your version offers that choice, and save to a new name. If your version has no file-type choice, use Paint instead. Menu layouts in Photos change between updates, so labels may differ slightly on your PC.

Convert many photos at once

Paint and Photos handle one image at a time. For a whole folder, use a batch tool such as ImageMagick. Check that your build supports HEIC, since this depends on how it was packaged. In a terminal opened in a folder of copied files, magick mogrify -format jpg *.heic writes a JPG next to each HEIC file and leaves the originals in place. Add -quality followed by a number from 1 to 100 to set JPG compression. Higher numbers mean better quality and larger files. Run it on a small test folder first, and review the results before processing everything.

Check the output

• Open the new file in a different viewer than the one that created it. This confirms the JPG is readable on its own.
• Right-click the file, choose Properties and open the Details tab. Confirm the item type is JPEG and the dimensions match the original. Check whether the date taken and location were kept, especially before sharing the photo.
• Compare the original and the JPG side by side at full size. JPG is a lossy format, so low quality settings can add visible blockiness in skies and smooth gradients.
• Know what JPG cannot store. Live Photo motion, burst sequences, depth data, transparency and some HDR information may be lost or flattened. Only one still image ends up in the JPG.

Common problems and next steps

The file won't open, or Windows asks for a codec. Install or repair the HEIF Image Extensions and, if needed, the HEVC Video Extensions. Then restart the app you are using. If thumbnails are still missing in File Explorer, sign out and back in, or restart Windows.

You renamed the file to .jpg, but it still fails to upload. Changing the extension does not convert anything. The data inside is still HEIC, so re-save the file with one of the methods above.

Colors look duller or different after conversion. Photos captured in HDR or with a wide color gamut can look different once saved as standard JPG. Compare both files in the same viewer before deciding the conversion failed. If accurate color matters, edit the image in an app that manages color profiles.

The JPG contains location data you didn't want to share. Remove it in Properties > Details by clicking Remove Properties and Personal Information. Then check the Details tab again to confirm the location is gone.

You want to avoid HEIC in future. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible to shoot JPG instead of HEIC. Separately, the Transfer to Mac or PC option under Settings > Photos can be set to Automatic, which converts photos when copied to a computer over a cable. Option names can change between iOS versions, so check your current settings.