How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac

macOS has built-in HEIC support since High Sierra (10.13). Every Mac sold since 2017 can open, preview, and thumbnail HEIC files without extra software. Converting those files to JPG is equally straightforward -- macOS includes multiple native tools that handle it.

This guide covers five methods to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac, ranked from fastest to most powerful. Pick the one that fits your workflow.

Method 1: Quick Actions in Finder (Fastest)

Right-clicking HEIC files in Finder is the fastest native conversion method on macOS. Quick Actions, available since macOS Monterey (12.0), adds image conversion directly to the context menu. No app needs to open. The converted files appear in the same folder.

Steps:

1. Open Finder and navigate to the folder containing your HEIC files
2. Select one or more HEIC files (use Cmd+A to select all, or Cmd+Click for specific files)
3. Right-click the selection
4. Click Quick Actions > Convert Image
5. In the popup, set Format to JPEG
6. Choose a size: Actual Size, Large, Medium, or Small
7. Optionally check Preserve Metadata to keep EXIF data
8. Click Convert to JPEG

The converted JPG files appear alongside the originals. Original HEIC files remain untouched.

When to use this method:

• You need to convert 1 to 50 files quickly
• You want native macOS integration without opening any app
• You are on macOS Monterey (12.0) or later

Limitations:

• No quality slider -- you cannot set a specific JPG quality percentage
• Fixed size presets only -- Actual Size, Large (3072px), Medium (1536px), or Small (768px)
• Not available on macOS Big Sur or earlier -- requires Monterey 12.0+

For most Mac users converting a batch of iPhone photos, this is the only method you need.

Method 2: Preview Export

Preview gives you a quality slider that Quick Actions does not offer. This makes it the better choice when output quality matters, such as photos destined for printing or professional use.

Single file:

1. Double-click the HEIC file to open it in Preview
2. Click File > Export in the menu bar
3. Set Format to JPEG
4. Drag the Quality slider to your preferred level (higher means better quality, larger file)
5. Choose a destination folder
6. Click Save

Multiple files at once:

1. Select all HEIC files in Finder
2. Right-click and choose Open With > Preview
3. In Preview's sidebar, press Cmd+A to select all thumbnails
4. Click File > Export Selected Images...
5. Click Options at the bottom of the save dialog
6. Set Format to JPEG and adjust the quality slider
7. Choose a destination folder and click Choose

When to use this method:

• You need precise quality control for print or professional output
• You are batch converting 5 to 100 files and want consistent quality settings
• You are on any macOS version from High Sierra (10.13) onward

Limitations:

• Requires opening an app -- slower startup than Quick Actions
• No exact quality percentage shown -- the slider is visual only, without a numeric readout
• Large batches get slow -- Preview loads all images into memory, which bogs down past 100+ files

Preview is already installed on every Mac. It is the go-to method when you need quality control without installing anything.

Method 3: Photos App Export

The Photos app converts HEIC to JPG during export without additional tools. This is the natural method if your images are already in your Photos library.

Steps:

1. Open the Photos app
2. Select the photos you want to convert (Cmd+Click for individual photos, Cmd+A for all)
3. Click File > Export > Export [N] Photos in the menu bar
4. Set Photo Kind to JPEG
5. Set JPEG Quality to High, Medium, or Low
6. Optionally set a specific size under Size
7. Click Export
8. Choose a destination folder and click Export again

When to use this method:

• Your HEIC files are already imported into the Photos library
• You want to export edited versions with all Photos adjustments baked in
• You need to export from specific albums or smart folders

Limitations:

• Only works with files in the Photos library -- you must import loose files first
• Three quality presets only -- High, Medium, Low. No granular slider
• Import step adds friction -- dragging files into Photos just to export them is slower than Preview or Quick Actions
• Exports edited version by default -- if you cropped or adjusted the photo in Photos, the export reflects those changes

Use this method when your photos are already organized in Photos. For loose HEIC files from a folder, use Quick Actions or Preview instead.

Method 4: Terminal with sips Command

The sips command converts HEIC files from the Terminal with a single line. It is the fastest method for batch converting hundreds or thousands of files. sips (Scriptable Image Processing System) ships with every macOS installation.

Convert a single file:

sips --setProperty format jpeg input.heic --out output.jpg

Batch convert all HEIC files in the current folder:

for file in *.heic; do
  sips --setProperty format jpeg "$file" --out "${file%.heic}.jpg"
done

Batch convert all HEIC files in a specific folder:

for file in ~/Desktop/Photos/*.heic; do
  sips --setProperty format jpeg "$file" --out "${file%.heic}.jpg"
done

Convert and resize to a maximum width of 1920px:

sips --setProperty format jpeg --resampleWidth 1920 input.heic --out output.jpg

Convert all HEIC files and output to a different folder:

mkdir -p ~/Desktop/Converted
for file in *.heic; do
  sips --setProperty format jpeg "$file" --out ~/Desktop/Converted/"${file%.heic}.jpg"
done

Handle both .heic and .HEIC extensions:

for file in *.[hH][eE][iI][cC]; do
  sips --setProperty format jpeg "$file" --out "${file%.[hH][eE][iI][cC]}.jpg"
done

When to use this method:

• You have 100+ files to convert in a single operation
• You want to script conversion as part of an automated workflow
• You need to resize images during conversion
• You are comfortable with the Terminal

Limitations:

• No JPG quality setting -- sips does not support a quality flag for JPEG output. It uses a default quality around 90%
• No progress indicator -- large batches run silently until completion
• Case sensitivity -- the glob pattern *.heic does not match *.HEIC on case-sensitive file systems. Use the case-insensitive pattern shown above
• Overwrites without warning -- if output files already exist, sips replaces them silently

sips processes roughly 10-20 images per second on modern Apple Silicon Macs. A batch of 500 files completes in under a minute.

Method 5: HEICify Browser Tool

HEICify's HEIC to JPG converter runs in any browser and converts files locally on your Mac. No files are uploaded to any server. The conversion uses Web Workers for background processing, keeping the browser responsive during large batches.

Steps:

1. Open HEICify HEIC to JPG converter in Safari, Chrome, or Firefox
2. Drag and drop HEIC files onto the page, or click to browse
3. Adjust the quality slider to your preferred percentage (default is 92%)
4. Click Convert
5. Download the converted JPG files individually or as a batch

When to use this method:

• You want a visual quality slider with exact percentage control
• You are on an older macOS version that lacks Quick Actions
• You need a consistent tool that works identically on Mac, Windows, and Linux
• You prefer not to use Terminal commands

Limitations:

• Requires a browser -- slightly more steps than Quick Actions for small batches
• Browser memory limits -- extremely large files (50 MB+) may be slower than native tools

HEICify is the best option when you need precise quality control without Terminal commands. The quality slider lets you balance file size against visual fidelity for each batch.

Method Comparison

| Method | Batch Support | Quality Control | macOS Version | Speed (50 files) | Best For | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Quick Actions | Yes | No (size presets only) | Monterey 12.0+ | ~30 seconds | Fastest native conversion | | Preview | Yes | Yes (visual slider) | High Sierra 10.13+ | ~2 minutes | Quality-sensitive exports | | Photos App | Yes | 3 presets (H/M/L) | High Sierra 10.13+ | ~3 minutes | Photos library exports | | Terminal (sips) | Yes | No (fixed ~90%) | Any macOS | ~5 seconds | Large batch automation | | HEICify | Yes | Yes (exact %) | Any (browser) | ~20 seconds | Cross-platform, precise quality |

Tips for Mac Users

• Keep your HEIC originals. HEIC files are 30-50% smaller than equivalent JPGs. Store originals as space-efficient archives and convert copies for sharing or uploading.
• Use 90-95% quality when you have a slider. This produces visually identical results with reasonable file sizes. Below 85%, compression artifacts become visible in detailed areas.
• Check your iPhone transfer settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Photos and select "Automatic" under "Transfer to Mac or PC." This tells iOS to send JPGs to your Mac automatically during AirDrop and USB transfers.
• Drag-select in Finder before right-clicking. Quick Actions works on your entire selection. Select 50 files, right-click once, and convert them all in a single operation.
• Use sips in shell scripts. Combine sips with cron jobs or Automator workflows to auto-convert HEIC files dropped into a specific folder.
• Avoid unnecessary third-party apps. macOS handles HEIC conversion natively. You do not need to install paid apps for something Finder, Preview, and Terminal already do for free.

Which Method Should You Use?

For 1-50 files with no quality requirements: Use Quick Actions in Finder. Two clicks, no apps to open.

For files where quality matters: Use Preview or HEICify. Both provide a quality slider. HEICify shows the exact percentage.

For 100+ files or automated workflows: Use the Terminal with sips. It processes hundreds of files in seconds.

For photos already in your library: Use the Photos app export. It preserves your edits and album organization.

For a broader overview covering all platforms and devices, see How to Convert HEIC to JPG: 5 Easy Methods. To understand the technical differences between the two formats, read HEIC vs JPG: Complete Comparison.