How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac — Free, No Install Required
Your iPhone takes great photos — but they're saved as HEIC files that half the world can't open. Here's how to convert HEIC to JPG (or PNG) on your Mac instantly, without installing any software or uploading files to a server.
Why Your iPhone Photos Are HEIC (And Why It's a Problem)
Since iOS 11, iPhones save photos in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) format by default. HEIC uses the HEVC video codec to compress still images, producing files roughly 50% smaller than JPEG at equal quality. For your iPhone's storage, this is great.
The problem starts when you try to share these photos. Many Windows applications, web upload forms, email clients, and older software simply can't open HEIC files. You end up with error messages, blank thumbnails, or “unsupported format” warnings.
The solution? Convert HEIC to JPG or PNG — the two most universally supported image formats. Let's look at the fastest way to do this on your Mac.
Common Ways to Convert HEIC on Mac (And Their Drawbacks)
Preview App → Export
Open the HEIC file in Preview, go to File → Export, choose JPEG. Works, but tedious for multiple files and doesn't let you adjust quality or resize simultaneously.
Automator Quick Action
You can create a custom Automator workflow, but it requires technical knowledge, doesn't offer quality/resize controls, and the initial setup takes 10-15 minutes.
Third-Party Mac Apps
Many HEIC converter apps exist in the App Store, but most are paid or ad-supported. They require installation and often request unnecessary permissions.
Online Upload Services
Cloud-based converters upload your photos to remote servers for processing. Your private photos end up on someone else's infrastructure — a privacy concern for personal images.
Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac — The Fast, Private Way
LocalSquash converts HEIC to JPG (or PNG) entirely in your browser using FFmpeg WebAssembly. Your photos never leave your Mac — no upload, no server, no account.
Open LocalSquash Image Compressor
Go to localsquash.com/image in Safari, Chrome, or Firefox on your Mac.
Upload your HEIC file
Drag your .heic photo onto the upload area or click to browse. The file stays on your Mac — nothing is sent to any server.
Select JPEG (or PNG) output
Choose JPEG for maximum compatibility and small file sizes. Choose PNG for lossless quality and transparency support. Optionally adjust quality and resize.
Click Compress — done
The converted JPG or PNG downloads automatically. Original resolution and colour profile are preserved.
100% Private
Photos never leave your Mac. Processing happens in your browser.
No Install
Works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox. No app or extension needed.
Full Quality
Preserves resolution, colour profile, and detail during conversion.
HEIC to JPG vs. HEIC to PNG — Which Should You Choose?
| Criteria | HEIC → JPG | HEIC → PNG |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Small (lossy) | Large (lossless) |
| Quality loss | Minimal at 80-90% | None |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Best for | Sharing, email, social media | Editing, design, archival |
| Compatibility | Universal | Universal |
Rule of thumb: Use JPG when sharing photos (email, WhatsApp, social media, web uploads). Use PNG when you need to edit the photo further in Photoshop, Figma, or other design tools, or when you need pixel-perfect quality with no generation loss.
How to Compress PNG Files Online
PNG files are lossless by design — great for quality, but they can be very large. A 12-megapixel screenshot or photo exported as PNG can easily be 10-20 MB. Here's how to compress a PNG file effectively:
1. Reduce dimensions to your target display size
If the PNG will be displayed at 800px wide on a website, there's no reason to keep it at 4000px. Use the resize slider in LocalSquash to match the display size. This alone often reduces file size by 80-90%.
2. Convert to WebP lossless for 20-30% smaller files
WebP lossless uses better compression algorithms than PNG. A 5 MB PNG screenshot typically becomes 3.5-4 MB as WebP lossless — identical quality, just a better container. All modern browsers support WebP.
3. For photos in PNG format, consider lossy WebP
If a photograph was saved as PNG (common from some apps), converting to WebP at 80% lossy quality can reduce size by 90%+ with no visible quality difference. This is the biggest win for oversized PNG photos.
JPEG vs. JPG — Is There a Difference?
This is one of the most common image questions online, and the answer is simple: JPEG and JPG are the exact same format. There is zero difference in quality, compression, or compatibility.
The .jpg three-letter extension exists because early versions of Windows (DOS, Windows 3.1) could only handle file extensions with three characters or fewer. macOS, Linux, and modern Windows all support both .jpeg and .jpg interchangeably. Every image viewer, browser, and application treats them identically.
To convert JPEG to JPG, you can simply rename the file (change .jpeg to .jpg). No re-encoding, no quality loss, no tool needed. If you also want to compress the image while changing the extension, upload it to LocalSquash's image compressor, select JPEG output, and the downloaded file will be a fully optimised image that any system recognises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple adopted HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) starting with iOS 11 because it produces files roughly 50% smaller than JPEG at the same quality. This saves significant storage on your iPhone. The downside is that HEIC isn't universally supported — many Windows apps, web platforms, and older software can't open HEIC files.
Open LocalSquash in any browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox), upload your HEIC file, select JPEG as the output format, and click compress. The converted JPG downloads instantly. No Preview workarounds, no Automator scripts, and the file never leaves your Mac.
Yes. Select PNG as the output format in LocalSquash. PNG is lossless and supports transparency, making it ideal for design work, editing, or when you need pixel-perfect quality. The trade-off is larger file sizes compared to JPEG.
Yes, they are identical formats. The .jpg extension exists because early Windows systems required three-character file extensions, while .jpeg is the full name (Joint Photographic Experts Group). Every device and browser treats both extensions the same way. No conversion or re-encoding is needed — just rename the file extension.
PNG is always lossless, so the main way to reduce file size is by reducing image dimensions with the resize slider. For further reduction, convert to WebP lossless mode which is typically 20-30% smaller than PNG at identical quality. LocalSquash handles both approaches in your browser.
HEIC to JPG conversion involves a lossy re-encoding step (since JPEG is lossy), so there is a small theoretical quality loss. However, at quality settings of 80-90%, the difference is invisible to the human eye. For zero quality loss, convert to PNG instead.
Ready to Convert HEIC Photos?
Convert HEIC to JPG or PNG on your Mac in seconds. No software to install, no upload to servers, no account needed.
Open Image Compressor