Every iPhone photo since iOS 11 is saved as HEIC. Windows can't open it. Email clients reject it. Websites won't accept it.
You need to convert — and the App Store, Google results, and "free converter" sites all promise to help. Here's how they actually compare.
What We Compared
- Processing — upload to server vs local conversion
- Batch support — one photo or hundreds at once
- Output formats — JPG only, or PNG/WebP too?
- Quality control — adjustable compression?
- Privacy — do your photos leave your device?
- Cost — free limits and watermarks
The Comparison
| Tool | Processing | Batch | Formats | Quality control | Privacy |
|------|------------|-------|---------|-----------------|---------|
| BrowserStay | Browser (local) | Yes (ZIP download) | JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF | Yes | Never uploaded |
| iLoveIMG | Server upload | Yes | JPG, PNG | Limited | Photos uploaded |
| CloudConvert | Server upload | Yes | Many formats | Yes | Photos uploaded |
| HEICtoJPEG.com | Server upload | Yes | JPG | No | Photos uploaded |
| CopyTrans HEIC | Desktop (Windows) | Yes | JPG | Limited | Fully offline |
| Mac Photos/Preview | Local (Mac) | Via export | JPG, PNG | Via export settings | Fully offline |
| iPhone Settings | Local | N/A (new photos only) | JPG | N/A | Fully offline |
*Based on publicly available information as of 2026.*
Server-Upload Converters
iLoveIMG, CloudConvert, HEICtoJPEG.com and similar sites ask you to upload your photos.
Pros:
- No install required
- Work on any device with a browser
- CloudConvert supports many output formats
- Usually handle batch uploads
Cons:
- Your personal photos are uploaded — family pictures, home photos, documents you photographed
- Privacy policies claim deletion, but you can't verify
- Free tiers have limits — CloudConvert caps free conversions per day
- Quality settings often limited on free tiers
Best for: A single non-personal image when you don't care about privacy.
Browser-Based: BrowserStay
Converts HEIC to JPG (and PNG, WebP, AVIF) entirely in your browser.
Pros:
- Photos never uploaded — conversion happens on your device
- Batch convert with ZIP download
- Quality slider for output control
- No uploads — verifiable in your browser's dev tools
- Dedicated pages: HEIC to JPEG, HEIC to PNG
Cons:
- Requires modern browser
- Very large batches may take time on older devices
- Initial load downloads WebAssembly codecs
Best for: iPhone photo libraries, personal images, anything you wouldn't post publicly.
Desktop: CopyTrans HEIC (Windows)
Installs a codec and right-click "Convert to JPEG" in Windows Explorer.
Pros: Fully offline, integrates with File Explorer, batch via folder selection
Cons: Windows only, installation required, limited format options
Best for: Windows users who convert HEIC regularly.
Built-In: iPhone Settings
Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible makes new photos JPEG.
Pros: No conversion needed going forward
Cons: Doesn't convert existing HEIC files; larger storage usage on phone
Best for: Preventing the problem rather than fixing it.
Mac: Photos App Export
Select photos → File → Export → export as JPEG.
Pros: Built-in, offline, batch export
Cons: Mac only, multi-step process
Best for: Mac users with photos already in the Photos library.
How to Choose
| Situation | Best choice |
|-----------|-------------|
| Personal iPhone photos, privacy matters | BrowserStay |
| Windows user, frequent conversion | CopyTrans HEIC |
| Mac user, photos in Photos app | Mac Photos export |
| Prevent future HEIC files | iPhone "Most Compatible" setting |
| One public image, don't care about upload | Any server converter |
| Need exotic output format | CloudConvert (accept upload) |
| Batch of 500+ vacation photos | BrowserStay (ZIP download) |
Why Privacy Matters for Photo Conversion
HEIC files are almost always personal — vacation photos, kids, pets, your home, documents you snapped with your phone. Uploading hundreds of these to a free converter sends your entire camera roll to a server.
Browser-based conversion treats photos the way you'd expect: they stay on your device until you choose to save the result.
Try It Yourself
Convert HEIC to JPG, PNG, WebP, or AVIF with our Image Converter. Batch process, set quality, download as ZIP. HEIC to JPEG · HEIC to PNG
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