How to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac

Method 1: Preview (no install, keeps metadata)

Preview is the fastest native path for one photo or a small selection, and it is already the default HEIC viewer on macOS.

Preview generally carries EXIF and location data into the exported JPG. That is convenient for a personal archive and a problem if you are about to post the photo publicly.

1. Open the photo in Preview, or select several files, right-click, and choose Open With then Preview.
2. Choose File then Export. For a multi-photo selection use Edit then Select All in the sidebar first.
3. Set Format to JPEG and use the Quality slider to trade file size against fidelity.
4. Choose a destination and save. Exact menu wording varies slightly between macOS versions.

Method 2: Finder Quick Actions (fastest for many files)

Finder can convert a whole selection without opening an application, which makes it the quickest native option for a large folder of iPhone imports.

1. Select the HEIC files in Finder.
2. Right-click the selection and choose Quick Actions then Convert Image.
3. Choose JPEG and an image size, then confirm.
4. Converted copies appear beside the originals; the HEIC files are not replaced.

Method 3: the local browser workbench

Use this path when you want the metadata removed rather than copied, when you need a decoded-work estimate before a large batch runs, or when you are working on a managed Mac where installing anything is awkward.

It also runs identically in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox, so the same instructions work for someone you are helping remotely on Windows or Android.

1. Open HEIC to JPG and choose the photos from Finder.
2. Review the work estimate and reduce the batch or the maximum dimensions if it exceeds the device budget.
3. Check each prepared preview and apply rotate or flip where the orientation looks wrong.
4. Convert, then download individual validated JPG files or a ZIP in the order shown.

Stop the Mac creating HEIC in the first place

If the photos arrive from your own iPhone, changing the capture setting removes the conversion step entirely: on the phone, open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. New photos are captured as JPEG while existing HEIC files stay as they are.

For transfers, Settings then Photos then Transfer to Mac or PC set to Automatic converts photos to a compatible format during import, which is often enough on its own.

Which method should you use?

For one or two photos where the camera data does not matter, Preview is the shortest route. For a folder, the Finder Quick Action is faster than anything else on macOS. Choose the browser workbench when you specifically want EXIF and GPS gone, want each output checked before download, or want a predictable naming scheme across an ordered batch.