Converting HEIC files to JPEG on an Apple computer is a relatively new process. If you’ve had a Samsung phone with the ability to shoot in this format, you know there has been a problem with importing these images to different devices.
If you have been looking for ways to convert them from the file extension .heic to .jpg, then this article will instruct you on how to do it.
How to convert HEIC to JPG in one click
The good news is you don’t have to deal with any complicated workflows to convert a batch of HEIC files to JPG — just make sure you have Permute installed on Mac. Permute is a universal media converter for Mac. The app works with tons of photo, audio, and video formats — making any file transformation smooth and easy. Here’s how to convert HEIC to JPG in Permute:
- Open Permute from Setapp
- Drag and drop any number of HEIC images onto the Permute window
- Hit the Start button to convert to JPG.
That’s it. Select Show in Finder to access your JPG images. If you convert files regularly and want to streamline the process, use Permute’s presets. You can add your custom preset via Preferences so that whenever you add a specific file next time, Permute understands what it should be converted to.
Before you start converting…
Clean up. As we’ve mentioned, JPGs take more space than HEICs, so you can expect your storage to shrink. This is why we recommend getting rid of clutter before you start converting. Make sure you don’t waste space on redundant HEIC images such as duplicates and similar photos with Gemini, a clever duplicate finder for Mac.
Gemini can scan your folder, or even multiple folders, for similar files and duplicates. You can cleanup automatically — in this case Gemini will use its smartness to pick the HEICs that you don’t need and delete them. There’s also an option to review the duplicates that Gemini has found before deleting anything.
Convert HEIC to JPG with native macOS tools
If you don’t have Setapp membership, which includes Permute and Gemini, consider native apps like Preview or Photos for converting HEIC to JPG. It’s slower and not as efficient, especially if you want to convert multiple files, but still works. Here are three common ways to change image file format on Mac.
How to convert HEIC file to JPG with Photos
As the most popular photo viewing and editing app among Mac users, Photos, which is a continuation of both iPhoto and Aperture, could be the place where you interact with HEIC files the most. Luckily, Photos gives you two ways to change HEIC to JPG.
First, if you’ve transferred some HEIC images from your iPhone to your Photos library, you could simply drag and drop them to your Desktop or any other Mac folder, and they will automatically convert to JPGs.
Second, Photos gives you quite a bit of control over exporting images, so you can simply convert HEIC to JPG files while exporting them and set your exact preferences for quality, color profile, etc:
- Select a few HEIC images from your Photos library
- Click File ➙ Export ➙ Export Photos in the menu bar
- Select all appropriate options for the new JPG images
- Click Export
How to convert HEIC to JPG with Preview
If you don’t use Photos and only need to occasionally convert HEIC file to JPG (to upload online as your avatar, for example), you can simply use the default image viewing app on Mac — Preview, which not only can display photos and documents but also edit them, mark them up, sign or watermark them, and much more.
Here’s how to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac using Preview:
- Open any HEIC image in Preview
- Click File ➙ Export in the menu bar
- Select JPG in the format dropdown and adjust other settings as needed
- Choose Save
How to change HEIC to JPG on Mac with Automator
Hands down, the most under-appreciated default app on macOS is Automator. In case you haven’t used it before, Automator makes lots of menial tasks a breeze, such as renaming files in batches, moving folders, filtering mail, etc. For our purposes, not only Automator can export HEIC images as JPGs, it can also add it to Quick Actions in your right-click menu, so you can easily repeat the action any time in the future without even launching Automator.
To make converting HEIC to JPG a one-click action with Automator:
- Launch Automator and click New Document
- Select Quick Action ➙ Choose
- Look for the Copy Finder Items action and double-click to include it. Choose the folder where you want the converted JPG images to be saved.
- Search for Change Type of Images action and double-click to include that too. Select JPG in the dropdown.
- Click File ➙ Save and name your Quick Action (e.g. change HEIC to JPG)
Now, anytime you need to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac, simply right-click on the file and select your saved workflow from Quick Actions. You can even do so with multiple images at once.
On newer versions of macOS, the quick action of image conversion is included in Finder by default. This means, if you just need to change one HEIC image to JPG or vice versa, you can just right-click the image > Quick Actions > Convert Image > pick the format and click Save. However, if you need to set up a more advanced workflow, refer to Automator.
How to edit image metadata quickly
Many photographers and creators love the JPG format because it’s easy to add lots of metadata to it, such as copyright, artist’s name, GPS coordinates, camera settings, and more. If that’s the only reason for you to convert a HEIC file to JPG, you should know that HEIC supports all the same metadata fields, you just need a good app to edit them.
MetaImage is the most efficient way to fix image metadata on Mac. Unlike Photos, it doesn’t rely on one-by-one edits, but builds automatic workflows instead to process any number of images at the same time, regardless of whether you’re adding EXIF, IPTC, or XMP tags. Overall, the app supports over 5,000 tags and 90 file formats, and even has an extension that works within Photos as well.
Here’s how to change image metadata with MetaImage:
- Drag and drop or upload a bunch of images
- Navigate through blocks and edit metadata, from image description to date and camera — pick the tags you need
- Click Use Preset Action if you have any presets (or create one by clicking the preset icon on the top of the window)
- Click the suitcase icon to export tags or just save the changes and quit.
How to convert HEIC to JPG with Preview
The easiest way to turn a HEIC file into a JPG file on a Mac is to use the built-in Preview app.
Here’s how:
1. Open your HEIC file in Preview. You can actually open several if you want to bulk convert HEIC images to JPG
2. In the top menu, select File > Export
3. From the Format dropdown menu, choose JPEG. Use the Quality slider to set the compression level. The higher the quality, the greater the file size
4. Rename your new file if you want to, and set a file location using the Where dropdown menu. Click Save. A new JPG version of your photo has now been created
How to change HEIC file to JPG with Photos
Apple’s Photos app enables you to manage all your pictures in one place. It can also be used to convert HEIC files to JPGs. Start by importing your HEIC images into Photos as usual. You can also drag images into the Photos app.
Select the images you want to convert, and simply click and drag them into any Finder window. They’ll automatically be converted to JPGs. You can do this with single images, or you can convert multiple HEIC files to JPG at once.
If you want more options, select your images as before, but this time, from the menu choose File > Export > Export Photos. Now, you can define other formats and your naming convention. You can also define your subfolder format.
How to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac with Automator
Automator is a built-in macOS app, which automates actions so you don’t have to keep doing them manually. This handy productivity tool can also be used to convert HEIC files to JPG format.
- To use Automator, start by opening it from the Applications folder. Depending on which version of macOS you’re running, you now need to select either Quick Action or Service, which is the cog icon. Click Choose
2. On the right-hand side you’ll see some dropdown menus. Find the one that says Workflow receives current or Service receives selected. Choose Image
3. On the left side of Automator, from the Actions list, select Library > Photos, and drag Change Type of Images into the grey area on the right. You might get a message about whether you want your HEIC files to be replaced by your JPG or kept alongside them. Make a choice to proceed
4. If it isn’t done already, set the new image format as JPG under Change Type of Images
5. Now it’s time to export your script. Go to File > Export. Give your script a name, such as ‘HEIC to JPG conversion’, and click Save. For the sake of convenience, we suggest saving it to your desktop
6. Find your HEIC to JPG script and double-click it. You’ll be asked whether you want to install it. Click Install, and then Done
7. From now on, you can convert HEIC images to JPG right from Finder. Select some HEIC files, right-click them, and from the context menu choose Quick Actions or Services. You should see your HEIC conversion script listed
8. Select it, and It will automatically run through the steps you defined and convert your images. You can do this with single images, or you can even batch convert HEIC to JPG if you want
How to convert HEIC to JPEG on a Mac
1. When you have the HEIC-formatted image on your Mac, open it in the Preview app (open Preview and choose Export from the File Menu. Find Preview in your Applications folder.
2. Here you will see the native HEIC format is selected.
3. Change the Format to JPEG, and select where to save the new file to.Sponsored Links
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As you can see, the HEIC file size is much smaller than the JPEG, but you can use the JPEG in more applications, such as online forms. In this case, the HEIC is a third smaller than the JPEG.
And, yes, you can save a JPEG as an HEIC in the same way via Preview.
• Tell iOS to share Jpegs instead of HEICs
Set iPhone to take photos in JPEG
You can also set your iPhone or iPad to take photos in JPEG instead of HEIC:https://7dcb98eedf35dcb673f2cba9c32af54c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
- Go to Settings
- Tap Camera
- Tap Formats
- Tap Most Compatible
High Efficiency HEIF/HEVC reduces file size. 4K at 60fps and 1080p at 240fps require High Efficiency.
Most Compatible always uses JEG/H.264.
Conclusion
Saving an image in the HEIC format on your Mac will not allow you to use the image, mainly because it is not a supported image format.