If you shoot photos on an iPhone, your Mac is full of HEIC files — Apple's space-saving image format that many apps, websites, and older devices still refuse to open. Converting them to JPG is a routine task, and you don't need to pay for software to do it. Here are three free methods for Mac users, compared honestly, including the one I reach for most myself.
1. Preview — the built-in option
Every Mac already ships with a basic converter: Preview. Open the HEIC file, choose File → Export, select JPEG as the format, adjust the quality slider, and save.
It's perfect for the occasional photo, and it works fully offline with complete privacy. The downside appears at scale: Preview converts one file at a time. For batch jobs you can build a Quick Action in the Shortcuts app (Convert Image → JPEG) and run it on a whole folder — but that takes some setup the first time around.
Pros: free, pre-installed, fully local, offline.
Cons: one-by-one in Preview; batch conversion needs a DIY Shortcut.
2. Online converters — convenient, but watch the privacy
Search "HEIC to JPG" and you'll find dozens of free web converters: drag in your files, wait a moment, download the JPGs. They run on any computer, which is handy when you're not on your own Mac.
The catch: most of them upload your photos to a remote server for processing. That's fine for memes and screenshots, but think twice before sending client work, scanned documents, or family photos to a server you don't control. Many services also cap file sizes or daily conversions unless you pay for a plan.
Pros: no setup, works anywhere, often supports batches.
Cons: files leave your device; free tiers come with limits and upsells.
3. FileOnTap — converter convenience, native-app privacy
This is the method I recommend day to day — and to be transparent: Disclosure: I'm the developer of FileOnTap.
FileOnTap's free HEIC to JPG converter runs the entire conversion inside your browser using WebAssembly. Your photos are never uploaded anywhere: no server processing, no account, no sign-up, and no watermarks. Open the page, drop in a single HEIC or a whole batch, pick your quality, and download the JPGs. Once loaded, it even keeps working offline.
I built it precisely because I wanted the convenience of an online converter with the privacy of a desktop app — especially for sensitive photos I didn't want sitting on someone else's server. If you convert iPhone photos for the web on a regular basis, it's worth bookmarking.
Pros: free, batch support, fully local (browser-based), no account, works offline after load.
Cons: needs a modern browser — any recent Safari, Chrome, or Firefox is fine.
Quick comparison
| Method | Cost | Batch conversion | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preview / Shortcuts | Free | Via Shortcut setup | Fully local |
| Online converters | Free with limits | Usually | Files uploaded to servers |
| FileOnTap | Free | Yes | Fully local, in-browser |
Bottom line: for the odd photo, Preview is all you need. But if you convert HEIC files regularly — especially in batches, and especially photos you'd rather not upload anywhere — a browser-local tool like FileOnTap gives you the best of both worlds: the ease of a website with the privacy of a native app.
Bonus tip: to stop the problem at the source, open Settings → Camera → Formats on your iPhone and choose "Most Compatible". New photos will be saved as JPEG from then on — though your existing HEIC library will still need converting.
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