HEIC is great until you share a photo with someone on Windows or upload it to a site built in 2015. Then your efficient, high-quality iPhone photo becomes an unreadable attachment. Apple loves HEIC because it saves space and keeps quality high. The rest of the world still expects JPG and PNG.
Converting HEIC files on a Mac is easy, and you have options from built-in to batch to browser-based. We compared the four approaches Mac users actually use, including one that requires zero installs. All of them get you from HEIC to JPG or PNG — the differences are speed, batch handling, and privacy.
Preview export
Preview is already on your Mac and converts HEIC files just fine. Open the photo, choose File, then Export, and pick JPEG or PNG with a quality slider. For one-off conversions, nothing is faster.
The limits show up with batches. Converting a whole folder means opening files one by one or fumbling with multi-select exports, and there are no presets for resize-on-export or auto-naming. Quality control is also basic — one slider, no metadata options.
Pick it if: you convert a photo now and then and do not want new software.
Permute
Permute turns HEIC conversion into drag and drop. Drop in a batch of photos, choose JPEG or PNG, and it cranks through them with renaming and resize options. It handles HEIC alongside every other image and video format, so it earns its keep beyond this one job.
The caveat is that it is a paid app with a trial rather than freeware, and it is overkill if HEIC conversion is literally all you need. You are paying for a polished universal converter, which is worth it if you convert media weekly but hard to justify for twice a year.
Pick it if: you batch-convert photos regularly and want presets and renaming built in.
iMazing Converter
iMazing Converter is the free single-purpose tool: drag HEIC files in, get JPG or PNG out. It preserves EXIF metadata, handles batches well, and runs locally on your Mac. No accounts, no watermarks, no fuss.
The trade-off is narrowness. It converts HEIC and not much else, the interface is spartan, and quality settings are minimal compared to a full image editor or batch converter. It does one job well and makes no promises beyond that.
Pick it if: you want a free, local batch converter dedicated to HEIC.
No-install option: BrowserStay Image Converter
Sometimes installing an app for ten photos is silly. The BrowserStay image converter runs in your browser and converts HEIC to JPG or PNG without installing anything. It is handy on a borrowed Mac, a work machine with install restrictions, or when you just want it done now.
The honest trade-off applies to any web tool: you are uploading files to a server, so skip it for sensitive documents or private photos, and very large batches go faster in a desktop app. For everyday shots and quick shares, though, the convenience is hard to beat.
Pick it if: you want zero setup and your photos are not sensitive.
Which should you pick?
Simple decision tree:
- One photo, right now: Preview export
- Frequent batches with presets: Permute
- Free dedicated batch tool: iMazing Converter
- No install allowed: BrowserStay Image Converter
Most Mac users can stop at Preview for occasional conversions and add iMazing Converter if batches pile up. Privacy matters here too — for family photos and personal shots, prefer local tools like Preview, Permute, or iMazing Converter over uploading to any website.
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