How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 10 and 11 (Free)

Here is how to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows: open the photos in a free browser converter such as ConvertLime's HEIC to JPG tool, drop them in, and download the JPGs. It works on Windows 10 and 11, needs no software, and takes a few seconds. If your PC already opens HEIC photos, you can also use the built-in Photos app or Paint. All four methods are below.

Which method should you use?

Your choice depends mostly on whether your PC can already open HEIC files. Double-click one of your photos. If it opens and you can see the picture, you can use any method. If you see an error, a blank screen or a message about a missing extension, use the browser converter or install the extension first.

Method	Cost	Works without extensions	Many photos at once
ConvertLime in your browser	Free	Yes	Yes, with ZIP download
Windows Photos app	Free, but may need the HEVC extension	No	No, one at a time
Paint	Free, but may need the HEVC extension	No	No, one at a time
iPhone setting before you transfer	Free	Yes	Yes, for future photos

Method 1: How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows with a free online tool

This is the quickest route, and it works the same way on every Windows PC.

1. Open the HEIC to JPG converter in Edge, Chrome or Firefox.
2. Open File Explorer and find your HEIC photos. They are often in Pictures, Downloads or a folder named after your iPhone.
3. Select the photos (hold Ctrl and click to pick several) and drag them into the box on the page.
4. Each photo converts in about a second. Nothing is sent anywhere – the work happens on your own computer.
5. Click Download for a single photo, or Download all as ZIP for a batch.
6. If you downloaded a ZIP, right-click it in File Explorer and choose Extract All to get the JPG files.

If you want a picture with no quality loss at all, use HEIC to PNG instead. If you need to send several photos as one document, HEIC to PDF puts them all in a single file.

Method 2: Convert with the Windows Photos app

The Photos app can save a copy of a photo in a different format, but only if it can open HEIC in the first place.

1. Right-click your HEIC photo and choose Open with, then Photos.
2. If the photo shows up, look for the … (See more) menu at the top of the window.
3. Choose Save as.
4. In the save window, change Save as type to JPG (or .jpg).
5. Pick a folder, give the photo a name and click Save.

The Photos app has changed a few times in Windows 11, so the menu may look slightly different on your PC. If you can't find Save as, use Paint or the browser method instead.

If the Photos app won't open the photo

Windows needs two small add-ons to read iPhone photos:

• HEIF Image Extensions – free, and often already installed.
• HEVC Video Extensions – usually about $0.99 from the Microsoft Store. Some laptops come with it pre-installed.

Search for them in the Microsoft Store app. Once both are installed, HEIC photos open in Photos and Paint. For more detail, see our guide on how to open HEIC files on Windows.

Method 3: Convert with Paint

Paint has been on Windows for decades, and it is a simple way to save one photo as a JPG.

1. Right-click the HEIC photo and choose Open with, then Paint.
2. Click File, then Save as.
3. Choose JPEG picture.
4. Pick where to save it and click Save.

Paint also relies on the HEVC extension. Without it, Paint will say it can't read the file.

Method 4: Stop getting HEIC photos in the first place

If your photos come from an iPhone, you can make the iPhone send JPGs to your PC instead.

1. On the iPhone, open Settings, then Photos.
2. Scroll down to Transfer to Mac or PC and choose Automatic.
3. Plug the iPhone into your PC with a cable and import the photos as usual.

With Automatic on, the iPhone changes photos to JPG as they are copied over a cable. To make the iPhone take JPGs from now on, go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. Our iPhone guide covers this step by step.

Photos you already have in OneDrive, Google Drive or iCloud stay as HEIC, so you will still need Method 1 for those.

What about quality and file size?

A converted JPG looks the same as the HEIC original for normal photos. The main difference is size: the JPG is usually larger, often around one and a half to two times the size. That rarely matters, but some upload forms have a limit.

• If a job site, visa form or exam portal says the photo is too big, run the JPG through the image compressor.
• If it asks for an exact size, use resize image to 100KB or resize image to 50KB.

Wondering whether you should keep the HEIC originals? Our HEIC vs JPEG comparison explains what you gain and lose with each.

Common problems and fixes

"This file can't be opened" in Photos. The HEVC extension is missing. Use the browser converter, or install the extension from the Microsoft Store.

The converted photo is sideways. Open it in Photos, click Rotate, and save it again. Rotating before you upload it to a form avoids a sideways photo on the other end.

I only see a .MOV file next to my photo. That is the motion part of a Live Photo. You only need the .HEIC file to get a JPG still.

My PC shows .HEIC files as blank icons. That is normal without the extensions. The photos are fine; File Explorer just can't draw a preview yet.