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How to convert HEIC photos to JPG on a Mac

Turn iPhone HEIC photos into JPGs on a Mac with Finder's Convert Image, Preview or Terminal, one at a time or a whole folder, for free.

The problem

Your iPhone photos are HEIC files, and the website, the printer or the older app you need to use only takes JPG.

How do I convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac for free?

Select the HEIC files in Finder, Control click, choose Quick Actions > Convert Image, set the format to JPEG, and click Convert. The JPGs appear next to the originals.

How do I convert one HEIC photo in Preview?

Open it, choose File > Export, set Format to JPEG, choose the quality, and save.

How do I convert a whole folder of HEIC photos?

Finder's Convert Image handles any number at once. In Terminal, from the folder:

for f in *.heic; do sips -s format jpeg "$f" --out "${f%.heic}.jpg"; done

File names ending in capital .HEIC need *.HEIC and ${f%.HEIC} instead.

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

A little, as JPEG compresses less cleverly, but at normal settings it is hard to see. The file usually changes size more than the picture changes look. Our 6016 by 6016 HEIC test image was 9.3 MB; the JPEG sips made from it was 4.1 MB at the same size. Results vary with the picture.

How do I stop my iPhone taking HEIC photos?

On the iPhone, Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible makes new photos JPG. They take more space on the phone.

Our take

Convert copies, not your library. Keep the HEIC originals in Photos and make JPGs only for the place that asks for them; the originals carry more detail and depth data that a JPEG drops for good.

In your browser

Our free image converter converts without uploading. For a PDF instead of JPGs, see HEIC to PDF.

Measured on 16 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1), macOS 27.0.1, with sips -s format jpeg on a 6016 by 6016 HEIC from the system desktop pictures.

Questions

How do I convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac for free?

Select the photos in Finder, Control click and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image, then JPEG.

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

A little. At normal settings the difference is hard to see.

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