iPhone photos (HEIC) on Windows: open and convert
Updated October 29, 2026
Since iOS 11 the iPhone saves photos as HEIC: half the size of JPG at the same quality. Great on the phone, awkward everywhere else: Windows asks for a paid codec, older sites refuse the upload, and some email clients show a blank attachment.
You do not need an app. The convert image tool decodes HEIC in your browser and writes a JPG (or WebP) you can use anywhere.
Convert one or a hundred
Drop the HEIC files on the convert image tool, pick JPG, set quality 85 and download. For a batch, the result comes as a ZIP. The conversion keeps the full resolution and, if you tick the option, the EXIF data (date, camera, exposure). The location and the embedded thumbnail are always removed, ticked or not.
Stop the problem at the source
On the iPhone, Settings > Camera > Formats > "Most Compatible" makes the camera save JPG. Or keep HEIC (it saves space) and set Settings > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC > "Automatic", which converts when you copy via cable or AirDrop.
Which format to pick
JPG for anything that must open anywhere: forms, old websites, printing shops. WebP for your own website. PNG only for screenshots; a photo as PNG is five times bigger than it needs to be.
Tips
- Live Photos convert as the still frame.
- Add the compress step if the JPGs are going by email: 1600 px wide is plenty.
- The photos never leave your computer: the decoder runs in a Web Worker.
Questions
- Does converting lose quality?
- At quality 85 the JPG is visually identical. HEIC is the original; keep it if you might edit the photo later.
- Why does Windows Photos show an error?
- The HEVC codec is a paid add-on on Windows. Converting to JPG avoids it entirely.
- Can I convert HEIC to PDF?
- Yes: convert to JPG first, then use images to PDF; or drop the JPGs straight into images to PDF.