Every Mac since macOS Monterey can turn a HEIC photo into a JPG without extra software, so the question is less whether you can convert than how comfortably you can do it for a whole batch, for WEBP and AVIF as well, and without sending photos to a website. We make Image Converter, one of the options below; the others are described from their own documentation. For step-by-step instructions with the built-in tools, see how to convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac.
| Option | Price | Batches | WEBP and AVIF input | Photos stay on the Mac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finder Convert Image | Built in | Yes | Not documented | Yes |
| Preview export | Built in | Yes, from one window | Not documented | Yes |
| Photos export | Built in | Yes, from the library | No | Yes |
| iMazing Converter | Free | Yes | No, HEIC only | Yes |
| Permute 4 | $14.99 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Online converters | Free tiers with limits | Limited | Often | No, files are uploaded |
| Image Converter | Free | Yes, no limit | Yes | Yes |
Finder, Preview and Photos
Select photos in the Finder, Control-click, and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image to get JPEG or PNG copies. Preview's File > Export offers HEIC, JPEG, PNG and TIFF among others with a quality slider, and batches work if you open the files in one window first. Photos exports JPEG, HEIC, TIFF or PNG, but only for photos in your library. For an occasional HEIC, these are all you need.
iMazing Converter
A small free app from DigiDNA that converts HEIC to JPEG or PNG, and HEVC video to H.264. It handles folders, lets you choose quality and resolution, and can keep or remove the EXIF data. It does not take WEBP or AVIF.
Permute
Permute converts almost any video, audio or image format, including HEIC, AVIF and WebP, one at a time or in bulk. Permute 4 costs $14.99 and needs macOS 26 on Apple silicon; it is also part of Setapp. Worth it if you convert video too.
Online converters
Websites convert without installing anything, but the photos are uploaded to someone else's server. CloudConvert, for example, stores files on its servers and deletes them within 24 hours, with a free tier of 10 conversions a day. For photos with faces or locations in them, that is a real trade-off. If you want the convenience of a web page without the upload, our HEIC to JPG converter runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere.
Image Converter
Image Converter reads HEIC, WEBP, AVIF and anything else macOS can open, and writes JPEG, PNG or HEIC at the quality you set, for batches of any size. Each file is identified from its contents rather than its name, one switch decides whether the camera details and location travel with the copy, and it shows the real size before and after. It has no networking code and costs nothing.
Which one to choose
- A few HEIC photos, now: Finder Convert Image.
- HEIC photos and HEVC videos: iMazing Converter.
- Video and audio conversion as well as images: Permute.
- HEIC, WEBP and AVIF in big batches, free and offline: Image Converter.
FAQ
What is the best free HEIC converter for Mac?
For a few photos, the built-in Finder Quick Action. For regular batches, a free app such as iMazing Converter (HEIC only) or Image Converter (HEIC, WEBP and AVIF) saves steps.
Are online HEIC converters safe?
They upload your photos to a server, where they are stored at least until the conversion is done. Photos can carry the location they were taken, so check the site's privacy policy, or convert on your Mac or in a browser tool that does not upload.
Why is my JPG bigger than the HEIC?
HEIC compresses more efficiently than JPEG. Why a converted JPEG is bigger explains the difference.
