How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows

HEIC files are a modern and more efficient way to store images. Unfortunately, they’re not as popular as JPGs, nor supported by all software and operating systems. Thankfully, you can easily convert them to the more familiar JPG format, as we’ll see here.

Using HEIC to JPG (FREE) App From Microsoft Store

By default, Windows doesn’t recognize the HEIC format. Theoretically, the Photos app supports it. However, if you try to open a HEIC file with it, Photos will point you towards an add-on available on the Microsoft Store. As many others suggest, you can download it, install it, and call it a day.

Well, not so fast, for there’s a catch: this add-on isn’t free. It’s not expensive, but why pay when there are free alternatives?

1. To stay on the same path where you’d find that add-on, let’s stick with the Microsoft Store. If you open the Microsoft Store and search for HEIC, you’ll run into many solutions that deal with the format. We tried many and believe one of the best is HEIC to JPEG (FREE). You’ll see many apps with similar names in the Microsoft Store, so search it with its full name. Then, click on the Get button to install it.

   

2. As you’ll see, HEIC to JPEG (FREE) is a quick and easy solution that doesn’t try to fancy things up. After running it, drag your HEIC files from a File Explorer window ono HEIC to JPEG (FREE)’s window. The app will start converting them to the familiar JPG format. It will inform you when the conversion completes.

   

You will find the converted files in the same folder as the HEIC originals.

Using XnConvert

XnConvert is more complex and feature-rich than HEIC to JPEG (FREE). The app is a sibling to the better-known XnView image viewer. Unlike XnView, though, XnConvert specializes in converting between various image formats. Since both HEIC and JPG are among those formats, you can use it to “convert” one into the other.

1. Go to XnConvert’s official site to download the application.

   

2. Scroll down to locate XnConvert’s download links. Choose the version for your operating system. Note that you can download two variants. The first is a typical installer. It registers the app to your Windows operating system, associating it with image files. Like all installers, it also copies the app’s files on your OS drive and adds entries to the Start menu. The other is a portable zipped program folder. With this option, you have to extract it manually. Then, use the app as a portable solution without installing it.

   

3. After downloading and installing XnConvert, run it.

   

4. Select your HEIC files from a File Explorer window, drag, and drop them on XnConvert’s window. We’ve only added a single HEIC file for this guide as input. You can add more if you’d like to perform a batch conversion.

   

5. Move to XnConvert’s Output tab to adjust settings like the path where XnConvert will store the converted files. The first setting you should change is Format. You can set it to any image file format you prefer using the pull-down menu. Since, for this article, we want to convert HEIC files to JPGs, we chose that format as our target.

   

6. Some image formats, including JPG, allow you to tweak some settings. In the case of JPG, the most crucial parameter is the compression VS quality ratio. The higher you set it, the better the quality of the converted images, but the larger their file size will be.

   

7. Convert all pages from multipage file setting: It’s important to explain this setting. HEIC is related to today’s most popular video encoding algorithm, High-Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC). Borrowing a page from its video-related sibling, HEIC can also store image sequences – this is why you often see pictures taken on Apple devices moving.That’s not possible with JPEG files, which only store single images. If you’re converting a multi-image HEIC file to JPG, you don’t have to lose the extra pictures stored. Enable Convert all pages from multipage file. Then, XnConvert will convert your multi-image HEIC input files to multiple JPEG images.

   

8. Converting images is a lightweight process for modern CPUs. Still, for XnConvert to take full advantage of your CPU, enable Use multiple CPU Cores and set it to the highest value. This can speed up compression but also “choke” your CPU by rapidly converting files in parallel. Thus, if you’re converting thousands of images while also multitasking, don’t assign all your CPU’s cores to XnConvert. Otherwise, your PC might become unresponsive or lag until the conversion completes.

   

Click Convert on the bottom right of XnConvert’s window, and it will start converting your images. You’ll find the converted versions in the path and format you chose on the Output tab.

Using an Online Converter

Would you prefer to avoid installing more software on your PC? You can convert your HEIC files to JPG using an online converter on a website. Still, we advise against it since it means you’ll be sending your images to a third party. It would be best to never do that with personal photos or any other image you’d like to keep private. Still, it can be a quick solution.

1. Visit a website such as HEICtoJPEG.

   

2. Drag and drop your HEIC files on the active area of the site. It’s the rectangle with the plus symbol and the “Choose .heic(s) or Drop Them Here” indication. HEICtoJPEG will immediately start converting them to the JPEG format.

   

3. When the process completes, it will show a list of the converted files. You’ll have to click on each file’s download link individually to download each JPG to your local storage.

   

The Best HEIC to JPEG Converter

As we saw, there are many ways to turn HEIC files into JPEGs. Even if the HEIC format has advantages, JPEGs remain more versatile thanks to broad support.