How to convert HEIC photos to JPG on a Mac

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-convert-heic-photos-to-jpg-on-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Neo · macOS 27.0.1

6 of 6 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo)

App

Finder

Real screenshots

6 of 6 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Select the photos in Finder

   Open the folder with your HEIC photos. Click the first one, then hold Command and click the others.

   Done

2. 

   Right-click and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image

   On our MacBook Neo, Quick Actions lists Rotate Left, Create PDF, Convert Image, Remove Background and Customize….

   With two photos selected, the menu reads New Folder with Selection (2 Items), and Compress shows no count in macOS 27.

   Done

3. 

   Check that Format is JPEG

   The Convert Image window opens. On our MacBook Neo it was already set to JPEG, with Preserve Metadata ticked.

   Done

4. 

   Choose the Image Size

   Click Image Size and pick Actual Size, Large, Medium or Small. Actual Size is the default; pick a smaller size for email or upload forms.

   Done

5. 

   Click Convert to JPEG

   We chose Large here. The conversion takes a moment.

   Done

6. 

   Find the JPEG copies

   The copies are saved in the same folder, and the HEIC originals stay where they were.

   On our MacBook Neo, IMG_0101.HEIC became IMG_0101 Large.jpeg: macOS adds the size name and uses the .jpeg extension.

   Done

HEIC to JPG: Already have HEIC photos? Convert them to JPG in your browser. The photos stay on your device.

What we saw on our device

• Right-click and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image: On our MacBook Neo, Quick Actions lists Rotate Left, Create PDF, Convert Image, Remove Background and Customize….
• Check that Format is JPEG: On our MacBook Neo it was already set to JPEG, with Preserve Metadata ticked.
• Find the JPEG copies: On our MacBook Neo, IMG_0101.HEIC became IMG_0101 Large.jpeg: macOS adds the size name and uses the .jpeg extension.

If you do not see this option

• Convert Image is not under Quick Actions On our MacBook Neo it sits between Create PDF and Remove Background. If yours is missing, click Customize… at the bottom of the same submenu to check which Quick Actions are switched on.
• You only see Compress Compress is a different command higher up the menu. Move down to Quick Actions near the bottom of the menu and open its submenu.
• You would rather not use Finder Apple says you can also open the photo in Preview, choose File > Export and pick JPEG as the format. Source: Convert image file types using Preview on Mac

If this does not work

• You cannot spot the new files They are in the same folder as the originals. Sort by name and each copy, such as IMG_0101 Large.jpeg, appears next to its HEIC file.
• The copy is still too large Select the HEIC photo again, open Convert Image and choose Medium or Small under Image Size.
• You want to keep the photo's details Leave Preserve Metadata ticked in the Convert Image window. It was ticked by default on our MacBook Neo.

About this guide

iPhones save photos as HEIC files, which many websites and older programs do not accept. Finder can turn them into JPEG copies in a few clicks.

Screenshots: MacBook Neo, macOS 27.0.1, dark mode.

Good to know

From the Photos app: select the photos and choose File, Export, Export Photos, with Photo Kind set to JPEG.

To stop the iPhone from making HEIC files in the first place, open Settings, Camera, Formats on the phone and choose Most Compatible.

Have a lot of photos to send? Make each file smaller as well: how to resize an image on a Mac with Preview.

To always open HEIC or JPG files in a different app: how to change which app opens a file type on a Mac.

In short: Finder: select photos > right-click > Quick Actions > Convert Image > Format: JPEG > Image Size > Convert to JPEG.