How to Open and Convert iPhone HEIC Photos to JPG on Windows
You copy photos from an iPhone to a Windows laptop and get a folder of IMG_1234.HEIC files. Some show a thumbnail, some do not. The upload page for your bank, a job portal or your college refuses them. Here is why, and every reasonable way to fix it, from a one-time setting change to converting hundreds of photos at once.
Why iPhones use HEIC
Since iOS 11, iPhones save photos in HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) by default, with the .heic extension. HEIC uses the same compression technology as HEVC video, and stores a photo at roughly half the size of an equally good JPEG. It can also hold extras such as depth data for Portrait mode and multiple frames.
The catch is compatibility. Apple devices handle HEIC natively, but many websites, older software and some Windows setups do not. Most web upload forms only accept JPG and PNG.
Option 1: Open HEIC directly on Windows
Windows 10 and 11 can display HEIC in the Photos app if two codecs are installed from the Microsoft Store:
- HEIF Image Extensions, which is free.
- HEVC Video Extensions, which handles the underlying compression. It is sold for a small fee in the Store; some PCs come with it preinstalled by the manufacturer.
With both installed, File Explorer shows thumbnails and Photos opens the files. You can then use Photos' "Save as" to export a JPG, one image at a time. This is fine for a few photos but slow for a whole album, and it does not help when you need to send a JPG to someone else.
Option 2: Stop the iPhone creating HEIC
If you regularly move photos to Windows or upload them to forms, change the camera format on the iPhone:
- Open Settings → Camera → Formats.
- Choose Most Compatible.
New photos are then saved as JPG (and videos as H.264). Existing photos stay HEIC. The trade-off is that new photos take more storage on the phone, roughly double for the same quality.
There is also a transfer setting: Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic. When set to Automatic, the iPhone converts photos to a compatible format while copying them over a USB cable. Choosing "Keep Originals" copies the HEIC files as they are. In practice, results vary with the Windows import method, so check what landed in the folder.
Other routes behave differently too. Sharing a photo to WhatsApp or attaching it to an email from the iPhone usually converts it to JPG automatically, while iCloud for Windows and some cloud apps may keep HEIC or offer a download option. If you see HEIC files after a transfer, the original was kept.
Option 3: Batch convert in your browser
When you already have a folder of HEIC files and need JPGs, a browser converter is the quickest route and works on any computer, including office PCs where you cannot install software.
- Open HEIC to JPG.
- Add your photos. You can select many at once, or drag a set of files in; use + Add photos to add more.
- Choose the output format and Quality. The default of 92% is visually indistinguishable from the original for nearly all photos. Drop to around 80% if you want noticeably smaller files.
- Optionally use Resize longest side to cap the size. iPhone photos are 12 MP or more, far more than a web upload or a document needs. 2000 px on the longest side is plenty for most uses; keep Original for printing.
- Download photos one by one, or all together as a ZIP.
Conversion happens on your computer. A large batch of 48 MP photos can take a while on an older laptop; keep the tab open until it finishes.
If the target is a form with a KB limit, convert first and then use Compress Image to hit the exact size. If you need the photos as a single document, for example receipts for an expense claim, convert and then combine them with Image to PDF.
Things that can change during conversion
Orientation
Phones often store a photo sideways with an "orientation" tag that tells viewers to rotate it. A good converter applies the rotation to the pixels, so the JPG looks right everywhere. If a converted photo appears sideways on one website but correct on your PC, that site is ignoring the orientation tag; rotating and re-saving the JPG fixes it.
Metadata (EXIF)
iPhone photos usually contain the date, camera details and, if Location Services was on for the Camera, the GPS location where the photo was taken. Depending on the tool, conversion may keep or drop some of this. Before posting photos publicly or sending them to strangers, assume location may be included unless you have checked. On the iPhone you can turn off location for a single photo in the share sheet's Options before sending.
Live Photos
A Live Photo is a still HEIC plus a short MOV video clip. Converting the HEIC gives you the still image only. The motion part is a separate file, which you can keep or delete.
Colour
iPhones capture in a wide colour space (Display P3). Most JPG converters and viewers handle this well; occasionally very saturated reds or greens look slightly duller after conversion. For normal documents and snapshots you will not notice.
Troubleshooting
- "File is not a HEIC image" or it fails to load. Some files named .heic are actually JPGs or HEIC sequences from bursts. Try opening the file in Photos first, or rename a suspected JPG to .jpg.
- The files are .HEIF or .heics. HEIF is the same family. HEICS (image sequences) may only convert the first frame.
- Converted JPGs are bigger than the HEIC. Expected. JPEG is less efficient. Lower the quality or resize.
- Thumbnails do not show in File Explorer even after installing extensions. Restart Explorer or sign out and in, and check both the HEIF and HEVC extensions are installed.
- Portal still rejects the JPG. Check the size limit and pixel dimensions it asks for; the problem may be size rather than format.
Sending photos from iPhone to someone on Windows
If you are the iPhone owner and the other person keeps asking for "JPG please", the simplest fixes are on your side. Sharing through WhatsApp or email usually sends JPG. Choosing "Most Compatible" helps for new photos. For a set of existing photos, convert them once and send the JPGs or a ZIP. Avoid sending HEIC files to office colleagues, printing shops or government offices, where older systems are common. If you need to keep full quality for a photo studio or printer, send at quality 95% or above without resizing.
Should you keep the HEIC originals?
Yes, if you have space. They are smaller than JPG and preserve the original data. Convert copies when you need to share, and keep the originals in your backup.
Which option should you use?
- A few photos, now and again: install the Windows extensions and use Photos.
- You constantly need JPG: switch the iPhone to Most Compatible.
- You have a batch already, or are on a computer you do not control: convert in the browser.