Apple uses the new HEIC photo format to compress photos taken with its iPhone. Here we are going to show you how to open HEIC files on Mac and convert HEIC to JPEG.
Since iOS 11, Apple has been using the HEIC file format to save photos on iPhone and iPad. We’ll explain more in our What is HEIC feature.
Apple uses the standards HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) and HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) created by MPEG and names the file format HEIC.
HEIC includes a number of advanced compression methods that allow you to create photos in much smaller file sizes – up to half – while achieving higher image quality compared to JPEG.
It should be a win-win, but like all file formats, it’s not compatible with all devices or apps. try submitting the .heic file to an online form and you often get a brief overview.

HEIC can also store multiple photos in one file – perfect for Live Photos and Burst Photos from iPhone.
It also supports transparency, just like GIFs, and can store image changes like cropping and rotating so you can undo them.
Basically, it’s much better than JPEG. For example, it supports 16-bit colors as compared to 8-bit JPG formats.
But try uploading the .heic file in some applications and you may have problems.
Even earlier versions of Apple’s own macOS (before 2017 High Sierra) aren’t able to open HEIC files on their own.
So, we need to easily convert HEIC files on Mac to the more common and universal JPEG / JPG format.
Luckily, it’s easy to both open a HEIC file on your Mac and convert it to JPEG.
How to Convert HEIC to JPEG on Mac
1. When you have an image in HEIC format on your Mac, open it in the Preview application (open Preview and choose Export from the File menu. Find the preview in the Applications folder.
https://jakmac.pl/wp-content/uploads/Jak-FAQ/Mac-Jak/555445864_8.jpg2. Here you will see that the native HEIC format is selected.
https://jakmac.pl/wp-content/uploads/Jak-FAQ/Mac-Jak/555445864_12.jpg3. Change the Format to JPEG and choose where to save the new file.
https://jakmac.pl/wp-content/uploads/Jak-FAQ/Mac-Jak/555445864_15.jpgAs you can see, HEIC file size is much smaller than JPEG but you can use it in more applications like online forms. In this case, HEIC is a third smaller than JPEG.
And yes, you can save JPEG as HEIC in the same way using Preview.
• Tell iOS to share JPEG files instead of HEIC
Set up your iPhone to take photos in JPEG format
You can also set your iPhone or iPad to take photos in JPEG format instead of HEIC:
- Go to Settings
- Click Camera
- Click Formats
- Click Most Compatible
High HEIF / HEVC performance reduces file size. 4K at 60fps and 1080p at 240fps require high performance.
The most compatible one always uses JEG / H.264.
Our friends at Tech Advisor show you how to open your HEIC file in Windows 10.
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