How to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac

Published October 19, 2026

You can convert HEIC to JPG on Mac without installing anything, because macOS already includes several tools that do it well. Which one is best depends on whether you have one photo or a whole folder, and whether the photos live in your Photos library or as files. This guide covers Preview, the Finder’s quick action, the Photos app and the Terminal, and when a browser-based converter makes more sense.

Do you need to convert at all?

Macs have opened HEIC files natively since macOS High Sierra, so on your own Mac you can view, edit and print them as they are. Converting matters when the photos are going somewhere else: a Windows PC, an Android phone, a website upload form, a print service or software that only accepts JPG.

Menu names below are from recent macOS versions. They have been stable for years, but small differences are possible on older or newer releases.

Method 1: Preview, for one photo or a few

Preview is the image viewer that opens photos by default, and it gives you the most control over a single file. It keeps the photo’s color profile, so colors look the same as in the original.

Double-click the HEIC file to open it in Preview.
Choose File › Export.
Set Format to JPEG and drag the Quality slider. The estimated file size updates as you move it.
Choose a name and location, then click Save.

To convert several files, select them all in the Finder and open them together in Preview. Show the sidebar, select all the thumbnails with Command-A, then choose File › Export Selected Images. Click Options, pick JPEG as the format, choose a folder and click Choose.

Method 2: the Finder’s Convert Image quick action

For a folder of HEIC files, this is the fastest built-in option. It is available in macOS Monterey and later.

In the Finder, select one or more HEIC files.
Right-click (or Control-click) the selection and choose Quick Actions › Convert Image.
Set Format to JPEG.
Choose an Image Size: Actual Size keeps full resolution, while Small, Medium and Large shrink the photos.
Tick or untick Preserve Metadata to keep or remove details such as date and location.
Click the convert button. The JPG files appear next to the originals.

The originals are not changed or deleted, so you can remove them yourself once you have checked the results.

Method 3: the Photos app, for your library

If the pictures are in the Photos app rather than in a folder, export them from there.

Select the photos in Photos.
Choose File › Export › Export Photos (the menu shows how many are selected).
Set Photo Kind to JPEG and choose the JPEG quality and size.
Decide whether to include the title, keywords and location information.
Click Export and choose a folder.

This export includes any edits you made in Photos. The other option, Export Unmodified Original, gives you the original HEIC file, so don’t pick it when you want JPG.

Method 4: Terminal, for large batches

macOS includes a command-line image tool called sips. To convert a single file, open Terminal, go to the folder and run: sips -s format jpeg photo.heic --out photo.jpg

To convert every HEIC file in the current folder into a subfolder, run: mkdir jpg and then sips -s format jpeg *.HEIC --out jpg. File names on iPhone exports are often in capitals, so match the extension you actually have. This is ideal for hundreds of files, but it gives less control over quality than Preview or Photos.

When a browser-based converter is the better choice

The built-in tools are excellent on your own Mac. A browser converter helps when you are on a shared or work Mac where you would rather not dig through menus, when you want the same steps on a Mac, a Windows PC and a phone, or when you want a quick ZIP of a mixed folder ready to send.

Our HEIC to JPG converter runs entirely in Safari, Chrome or Firefox: the photos are decoded on your Mac, never uploaded. It keeps the Display P3 color profile and orientation, lets you choose the JPG quality (90% by default) and can keep or remove the photo details. The free version converts up to 20 photos of up to 50 MB each per batch.

Which method to use

One or two files: Preview.
A folder of files with the same settings: Finder’s Convert Image.
Photos in your library, with edits applied: Photos › Export.
Hundreds of files or a repeatable job: sips in Terminal.
Someone else’s computer, or a ready-to-send ZIP: a browser-based converter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the quickest way to convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac?

Select the files in the Finder, right-click and choose Quick Actions › Convert Image, then pick JPEG. It handles many files at once.

Does converting on a Mac reduce quality?

JPG is lossy, so there is a small loss, but at high quality settings it is not visible. HDR highlight information is not carried over to a standard JPG.

Will the converted JPG keep the date and location?

Preview and Photos keep them by default, and Convert Image keeps them when Preserve Metadata is ticked. Remove them before sharing photos publicly if you prefer.

Why doesn’t Convert Image appear in my Quick Actions menu?

It needs macOS Monterey or later. If your Mac is up to date and it is still missing, look for the Finder extensions in System Settings, where quick actions can be switched on or off.