How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows (4 Free Ways)

If you have ever emailed yourself a photo from an iPhone and found that Windows refuses to open it, you have met HEIC. Since iOS 11, iPhones save photos as .heic files by default. The format stores the same picture in roughly half the space of a JPG, which is great on the phone — but awkward the moment the file lands on a Windows PC, an old photo editor, or a website that only accepts JPG.

Here are four ways to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, from the fastest to the most involved.

1. Convert in your browser (no install, no upload)

The quickest option, and the one with the least privacy risk, is a converter that runs entirely inside your browser. Our HEIC to JPG converter decodes the file on your own computer using WebAssembly — the photo is never sent to a server.

1. Open the converter.
2. Drag your .heic files onto the page (you can add many at once).
3. Choose JPG, set the quality if you like, and click Convert.
4. Download each result, or grab them all as a single ZIP.

Because the work happens locally, there is no file-size cap and no daily limit — the two things most online converters use to push you toward a paid plan.

2. Let Windows do it with the Photos app

Windows can open HEIC if you install Microsoft’s HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store (the basic codec is free). Once installed:

1. Double-click the .heic file to open it in Photos.
2. Choose See more (…) → Save as.
3. Pick JPG as the file type and save.

This is convenient for one or two files but tedious for a whole camera roll, and the codec install occasionally needs a paid HEVC extension for certain files.

3. Stop the problem at the source: shoot JPG on the iPhone

If you would rather never deal with HEIC again, change the camera setting:

Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.

From then on the iPhone captures photos as JPG. You lose a little storage efficiency, but every photo will open anywhere without conversion. Existing HEIC photos are unchanged, so you will still need to convert those.

4. Use a desktop image tool

Free desktop programs such as IrfanView (with its HEIC plugin) can batch-convert folders of HEIC files. This is a good choice if you routinely process thousands of images and prefer a native app — the trade-off is the initial setup and plugin install.

Which should you use?

For most people, converting in the browser is the fastest path that also keeps the photos private. When you are ready, the HEIC to JPG converter is free and has no limits.