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How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 11 and 10: 7 Free Ways

By the heicjpg.online editorial team · Updated September 30, 2026 · 13 min read

Converting a HEIC file to JPG on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Someone sends you photos from an iPhone, you double click them on your Windows PC, and you get a blank thumbnail, an error message, or a Microsoft Store page asking for $0.99. That is the moment most people search for how to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows. The good news: it is free, it takes under a minute, and you can do it with tools that are already on your PC or with nothing installed at all.

This guide walks through seven ways that work on Windows 10 and Windows 11 in 2026, from the quickest option for a couple of photos to the right tool for a folder of five hundred. Every method comes with the exact clicks, what it is good for, and where it falls short, so you can pick one and get on with your day.

Quick answer

Nothing to install: drop the photos on heicjpg.online, each file converts as soon as it uploads, and you download the JPGs or one ZIP. Built into Windows: open the photo in Photos or Paint, choose Save as, and pick JPEG. Many files at once: select up to 60 photos in File Explorer, drag them onto heicjpg.online and download one ZIP with the original file names; for hundreds of files use ImageMagick. Never again: on the iPhone, open Settings, Camera, Formats and pick Most Compatible.

Why Windows struggles with HEIC in the first place

HEIC is the photo format iPhones have used by default since 2017. Inside the file, the picture is compressed with HEVC, a video codec covered by patents. Microsoft therefore ships the support as two separate pieces instead of building it into every copy of Windows:

HEIF Image Extensions in the Microsoft Store, which is free and teaches Windows the container format, and
HEVC Video Extensions, the part that actually decodes the picture data. There is a free "from Device Manufacturer" version on many PCs, and a paid version for about $0.99 for everyone else.

On Windows 11 the HEIF extension usually comes preinstalled, so most newer PCs open HEIC files with no extra steps, although a clean install can lack it. On Windows 10 you often need the Store extensions. Either way, once Windows can read a HEIC file, the built in methods below can turn it into a JPG. If it cannot, the online method works regardless, because the decoding happens on the server rather than on your PC.

Did you know?

Windows can read HEIC but it cannot write it: there is a decoder but no encoder. That is why every built in route below saves a new JPG next to the original, and why a PC without the decoder cannot convert HEIC offline at all until the extensions are installed.

Here is what each Windows version can do with a HEIC file on its own, before you install anything:

Partial: works after installing the free HEIF Image Extensions. HEVC decoding may still cost about $0.99 depending on the device.

Method 1: Convert HEIC to JPG online with heicjpg.onlineRecommended

This is the route we recommend to most people, because it removes every variable: it does not matter which Windows you run, whether the Store is blocked at work, or whether the HEVC codec is missing. Your browser uploads the photo, the server decodes it, and a full resolution JPG comes back. On heicjpg.online the whole thing is built to be as short as possible:

Open heicjpg.online in any browser: Edge, Chrome and Firefox all work the same.
Drag your .heic photos onto the page, or click to select them. There is no convert button to hunt for: each photo starts converting the moment its upload finishes.
Click Download next to a single photo, or Download all (ZIP) to get every JPG in one ZIP. The originals on your PC stay untouched.

A typical iPhone photo is ready in about a second. The JPG keeps the full resolution and the EXIF data (capture date, camera model, orientation, location if the phone stored it), so your photo library, insurance claim or listing upload sees the same information it would from a camera JPG. There is no account, no watermark, no ads, and uploaded files are deleted automatically after 30 days.

Good forAny Windows version, including 7 and 8.1, work laptops without admin rights, a quick job of 1 to 60 photos, and PCs where HEIC simply refuses to open.

Not ideal forThousands of files in one go, or confidential material you would rather keep off the internet. Use method 6 or an offline route such as Photos for those.

Method 2: The Windows Photos app (built in, Windows 10 and 11)

Photos is the default viewer on both Windows versions, and it can save any photo it can open as a JPG. The trick is that the option hides inside the editor, not in a Save menu.

On Windows 11 and on Windows 10 with the current Photos app:

Double click the HEIC file so it opens in Photos. If you see an error instead, jump to the troubleshooting section or use method 1.
Click the three dots (See more) in the toolbar at the top and choose Save as. In the editor (Edit image or Ctrl + E) the same option sits under Save options, Save as copy.
In the Save as type list choose JPG, pick a folder and click Save.

On Windows 10: Microsoft ships the same redesigned Photos app to Windows 10 through the Microsoft Store, so the steps above apply once it is updated. Only the older app, now listed as Microsoft Photos Legacy, still shows the old Edit & Create menu: there you choose Edit & Create, Edit, Save a copy and change the file type to JPG. Windows 10 reached the end of regular support in October 2025, so updating the Photos app or moving to Windows 11 is worth doing anyway.

You do not have to change anything in the editor. Saving a copy without edits simply writes a fresh JPG next to the original. Photos keeps the EXIF data and the orientation, which is why we prefer it over Paint when the capture date matters.

Good forOne to five photos on a PC that already opens HEIC. No download, no settings.

Not ideal forBatches, because every photo means a trip through the editor and a save dialog.

Method 3: Paint, the two click classic

Paint has shipped with Windows since 1985 and it is still the fastest way to change one photo. No download, no settings, and it works the same on Windows 10 and 11.

Right click your .heic photo, choose Open with, then Paint.
Click File, then Save as, then JPEG picture.
Choose a folder, keep the name, click Save. You now have a JPG next to your original.

One thing to know: Paint writes a clean file without EXIF metadata, so the capture date, camera model and location do not travel into the JPG. For a photo you are pasting into a document, that does not matter. For an archive it does, so use Photos, ImageMagick or the online converter when you want the metadata kept.

If Paint opens an empty window or says the format is not supported, your PC is missing the HEIF support described above. Install the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store and try again, or use method 1, which needs nothing installed.

Good forOne to three photos, in about ten seconds each.

Not ideal forFolders (one file at a time) and photos where you want the EXIF data preserved.

Method 4: Batch convert up to 60 photos at once with heicjpg.online

When a whole folder of iPhone photos lands on your PC, you do not need to convert them one by one or install anything. The batch uploader on heicjpg.online takes up to 60 HEIC files at a time and gives you back one ZIP. Because the photos are decoded on the server, it works even on a PC without the HEIF or HEVC extensions.

Open heicjpg.online in Edge, Chrome or Firefox.
In File Explorer, open the folder with your photos, press Ctrl + A (or select the files you want) and drag up to 60 of them onto the page.
Wait while each photo converts as soon as its upload finishes. There is no convert button.
Click Download all (ZIP) and unzip it. Every JPG keeps its original file name and its EXIF data, at full resolution and quality 92.

More than 60 photos? Run the next batch the same way; there is no limit on the number of batches. You can also convert a whole folder of HEIC photos at once with the tips in our batch guide.

For hundreds or thousands of files in one pass, use ImageMagick (magick mogrify, see method 6) or the free desktop tool XnConvert. You may also see PowerToys Image Resizer suggested for this job, but current releases fail to open HEIC files (GitHub issues 45474 and 47840).

Good forA folder of 5 to 60 photos per batch, any Windows version, PCs without the HEVC codec, and keeping EXIF data and file names.

Not ideal forThousands of photos in a single run or files you would rather keep off the internet. Use method 6 for those.

Method 5: Add "Convert to JPEG" to the right click menu with CopyTrans HEIC

If you deal with HEIC files every week, a small free tool that lives in the right click menu pays for itself in saved clicks. CopyTrans HEIC for Windows is free for personal use and does two things: it installs a codec so File Explorer shows HEIC thumbnails and the classic Windows Photo Viewer opens them, and it adds a Convert to JPEG with CopyTrans entry to the context menu.

Download CopyTrans HEIC from the developer's site and run the installer once.
Select one or many HEIC files in File Explorer and right click.
Choose Convert to JPEG with CopyTrans. The JPGs appear next to the originals.

It works on Windows 7 through 11 and does not need the Store extensions, which makes it a good fit for older PCs. Two caveats: it is a third party installer, so download it only from the developer, and the free license covers personal use only.

Good forFrequent HEIC users who want a permanent right click option, and Windows 7 or 8.1 machines.

Not ideal forBusiness PCs (licensing) and anyone who would rather not install third party software.

Method 6: Command line with ImageMagick (for folders and automation)

If you are comfortable with a terminal, ImageMagick converts a whole folder in one line and can run on a schedule. The Windows builds include HEIC support, so nothing else is needed. Open PowerShell and install it with winget:

winget install ImageMagick.ImageMagick

Close and reopen PowerShell, move to the folder with your photos, then convert one file or every file in the folder:

magick IMG_4821.heic IMG_4821.jpg
magick mogrify -format jpg -quality 90 *.heic

The second command writes a JPG for every HEIC in the folder and leaves the originals in place. To include subfolders, let PowerShell walk the tree:

Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Filter *.heic | ForEach-Object {
  magick $_.FullName ($_.FullName -replace '\.heic$', '.jpg')
}

ImageMagick keeps EXIF data by default and applies the orientation stored in the file, so the JPGs come out the right way up. Quality 90 gives files that look identical to the original at normal viewing sizes; use 95 if you plan to print.

Good forThousands of files, nested folders, scripted or scheduled conversions.

Not ideal forAnyone who has never opened PowerShell. Methods 1 and 4 get you the same result with clicks.

Method 7: Fix it on the iPhone so there is nothing to convert

If the photos keep coming from the same iPhone, spend thirty seconds on that phone and the problem disappears for good. Two settings do it, and you can use either or both:

Convert only when transferring: on the iPhone open Settings, Photos (on iOS 18 and later: Settings, Apps, Photos), scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC and choose Automatic. Copy photos over a USB cable and they arrive on your PC as JPG. The phone keeps its space saving HEIC originals.
Shoot JPG from now on: open Settings, Camera, Formats and pick Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG. Existing HEIC photos stay HEIC, and JPG takes roughly twice the storage.

Sharing through WhatsApp, Messenger or email usually converts to JPG automatically as well, which is why the same photo can arrive as a JPG in one app and a HEIC in another. AirDrop, iCloud Drive and a plain USB copy with the transfer setting on "Keep Originals" hand over the HEIC as is. If you want the full background, read Why Are My Photos HEIC Instead of JPG?

Which method should you use?

Still undecided? Here is how the routes compare at a glance, followed by the full table:

Method	Install needed	Batch	Keeps EXIF	Best for
heicjpg.online	No	Up to 60 per batch, one ZIP	Yes	Any Windows version, locked down PCs, folders of photos
Photos app	No, built in	No	Yes	One to five photos on a PC that opens HEIC
Paint	No, built in	No	No	One photo, fastest built in route
XnConvert	Yes, free for private use	Yes, hundreds	Yes	A visual batch tool for big folders
CopyTrans HEIC	Yes, free for personal use	Yes	Yes	A permanent right click option, older Windows
ImageMagick	Yes, free	Yes, thousands	Yes	Automation, nested folders, scheduled jobs
iPhone transfer setting	No	Yes, at the source	Yes	Photos that keep arriving from the same phone

Want to compare desktop apps and online tools beyond these seven routes? Our ranking of the best HEIC to JPG converter for Windows and other platforms lists the options with their limits.

How to convert many HEIC files to JPG at once on Windows

The short version: select up to 60 photos, drop them all on heicjpg.online (method 4) and download one ZIP with the original file names and EXIF data; repeat for the next 60. For a folder of hundreds or thousands, use the ImageMagick one liner magick mogrify -format jpg *.heic (method 6) or XnConvert. Both leave the originals in place, so you can check the results before you clean up. If the recipient really wants one document instead of fifty files, you can save the photos as a PDF instead.

Avoid doing large batches through Photos or Paint. They work, but one file at a time through a save dialog turns fifty photos into a lost afternoon.

Troubleshooting: when the conversion fails

"This file format isn't supported" or a blank preview

Windows is missing the decoder. Open the Microsoft Store, install HEIF Image Extensions (free), then search for HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer. If the free manufacturer version is not offered for your PC, the paid one costs about $0.99. Or skip all of that and use method 1, which does not touch the decoder on your PC at all. If you only need to look at the photos, a free HEIC viewer for Windows opens them without converting anything.

The Store is blocked or you have no admin rights

Typical on work laptops. The online converter (method 1) is the only route that needs no installation and no permissions. All you need is the browser you already have.

The converted JPG is rotated the wrong way

The HEIC stored an orientation tag and the tool ignored it. Photos, ImageMagick and heicjpg.online all apply the orientation correctly. If a file still comes out sideways, open it in Photos, rotate, and save a copy.

The JPG is bigger than the HEIC

That is normal and not a sign of a bad conversion. HEIC compresses about twice as efficiently as JPG at the same visual quality, so a 2 MB HEIC often becomes a 3 to 4 MB JPG. Our HEIC vs JPG comparison goes into the numbers.

The photo is a Live Photo or a burst

A Live Photo is a HEIC plus a short MOV clip. Every method here converts the still frame; the clip stays behind as a separate file. Bursts are simply many HEIC files and convert like any other batch.

Photos still arrive as HEIC with Automatic selected

Apple describes the Automatic transfer setting as sending photos in a compatible format after checking what the computer can handle, so the iPhone decides for each connection. On a PC that already has the HEIF extensions installed, it may simply hand over the HEIC originals. If you need JPG files, convert the copied photos in one go with method 1 or method 4.

Three mistakes to avoid

Renaming the file does nothing. Changing IMG_4821.heic to IMG_4821.jpg only changes the label. The data inside is still HEVC, so the file opens as a broken image or gets rejected by the website you are uploading to. A real conversion decodes the photo and writes a new JPG.

Not every "HEIC converter" download is safe. Search results are full of installers bundled with extras you did not ask for. You already have Photos and Paint on your PC, and conversion that runs in the browser. There is no reason to run an unknown setup file for this.

Do not delete the originals right away. Convert, open a few JPGs, check that they look right and carry the date you expect, and only then decide what to keep.

Quick tip

Keep the HEIC originals. They take about half the space of the JPGs you just made, and you can always convert again. Treat HEIC as your archive and JPG as the copy you send out into the world.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just rename a .heic file to .jpg on Windows?

No. The extension is only a label. The picture data inside is still compressed with HEVC, so a renamed file either opens as a broken image or gets rejected by the website you upload it to. The photo has to be decoded and saved again as a real JPG.

Does Windows 11 convert HEIC to JPG automatically?

No. Windows 11 can open HEIC files (on most PCs the HEIF support comes preinstalled), but it never converts them on its own. To get a JPG you open the photo in Photos or Paint and use Save as, or convert a batch online or with ImageMagick.

Do I have to pay for the HEVC Video Extensions?

Not necessarily. Many PCs already have the free manufacturer version of the codec, and most Windows 11 PCs come with HEIF support preinstalled. The built in Windows methods only work once the codec is present; if your PC still refuses to open HEIC, an online converter decodes the file on the server, so you need no extension at all.

Does converting HEIC to JPG on Windows lose quality?

There is one round of JPG compression, which at a high quality setting is not visible in a normal photo. Resolution stays exactly the same. Keep the HEIC original if you want an untouched archive copy.

How do I convert many HEIC files at once on Windows?

Select up to 60 HEIC files in File Explorer, drag them onto heicjpg.online and download one ZIP with the JPGs, original file names and EXIF data kept. Nothing needs to be installed, not even the HEVC codec. For hundreds of files, use ImageMagick with magick mogrify or the free XnConvert.

Is it safe to convert HEIC to JPG with an online converter?

For everyday photos, yes. On heicjpg.online the upload runs over HTTPS, no account is needed, there are no watermarks, and uploaded files are deleted automatically after 30 days. For confidential material use an offline method such as Photos, Paint or ImageMagick.

What is the fastest way to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows?

For one or two photos, Paint or an online converter takes about ten seconds. For a folder, heicjpg.online converts up to 60 photos per batch into one ZIP, and for hundreds of files a command line loop with ImageMagick processes everything in one go.

Need a JPG in the next ten seconds?

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