A few years ago, iOS 11 released a new photo format called HEIF/HEIC that takes up half the space of the traditional JPG and was launched to reduce the storage occupied by its users’ photo libraries. It brought advantages thanks to this, but it also added a compatibility problem for those who share photos with devices on other platforms.
To solve it (beyond the options that Apple’s own systems have) tools have appeared that convert HEIC images to JPG and thus be more compatible, but now macOS Monterey has a much simpler method to achieve that .
From HEIC to JPG in two clicks
If you have updated your Mac to macOS Monterey, just right-click on the HEIC file you want to convert and access ‘Convert Image’:A small dialog will appear in which you can choose the format in which you want to convert the image (JPEG or PNG in addition to HEIF) and you will have the option to change the size. Simply press the ‘Convert to JPEG’ button for the same image to appear exported in JPG format next to the original:
You can follow the same steps to convert several images at the same time, just select them all; or do the reverse step of heic to jpg image to HEIC so that it takes up less space on your disks. This eliminates the need for tools specifically dedicated to converting formats, or resorting to the Photos app export which typically incurs more steps.
Top 3 Ways to Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac
Photos App – Drag & Drop or Export
The Photos app offers two ways to convert HEIC images to JPG format. The first method is very simple: just drag and drop the photos to your desktop or some other Finder folder, and they will automatically convert to JPG format.
Tip To select multiple photos within the Photos app, simply click on the corresponding thumbnails while holding down the CommandThe other method is a bit tricky and involves exporting images. You may prefer this option over drag and drop as it allows granular control over the file conversion process.
Once you have selected the HEIC image(s), open the File menu. Next, point to Export, and then click Export Photos.In the dialog box that appears, specify the output file format (JPEG in This Case). Next, select your preferred image quality, make any other settings you want, and then click Export.You will then be prompted to select an output location. Once done, the Photos app will convert and export the images.
App Preview – Convert and Export
For HEIC images that reside outside of the Photos app, you can use the Export feature in the Preview app to convert them to JPG.
To export a single image to JPG format, open the image in Preview, and then open the File menu. Follow up by selecting the Export option.You will be prompted with a small pop-up box. Set the output format to JPEG, adjust the quality level, select the output folder, and then click Save to convert the image.
To convert multiple photos using the Preview app, start by selecting the files while holding down the Command (Cmd) key. Next, right-click any selected photo and then click Open to open the photos in a single preview window.
In the Finder window that appears, specify an output location, and then click the Options button in the lower left corner to display the export options.
Making – Third Party Converter
Aside from the Preview app, another easy way to convert images located outside of the Photos app is to use a third-party file conversion utility called Imazing HEIC Converter. It is an incredibly small and easy to use applet that can be used without bloat or advertising of any kind.
Download iMazing HEIC Converter
After downloading and installing the applet, simply drag the HEIC files you want to convert into the iMazing HEIC Converter window. You can then specify the output format (JPEG), adjust the file size, and choose whether to keep or remove the EXIF data after conversion.
