Example: a 12-megapixel iPhone photo
A public-domain photo from an iPhone 15 Pro Max, saved as HEIC. PicoDiet's JPG is smaller than the HEIC itself. ImageMagick at its default setting (JPEG quality 92) gave 2.34 MB for a difference you can't see at normal size.
Why convert HEIC to JPG
iPhones save photos as HEIC by default. It's an efficient format, but many places still can't open it: Windows without an extra codec, older Android phones, lots of websites, government and job-application forms, print services and photo editors. JPG works everywhere, so converting is the quickest fix.
Most converters simply re-save the photo as a high-quality JPG. Since JPG is less efficient than HEIC, the file often doubles or triples in size, which then breaks upload limits and fills up email attachments.
How PicoDiet converts HEIC to JPG
PicoDiet decodes the HEIC and looks for the lowest JPG setting at which the photo still looks the same (quality score 80 by default), checking small areas such as faces and text separately. The result is usually smaller than the HEIC you started with. How the score works
iPhones shoot in Display P3, a wider colour range than standard sRGB. PicoDiet keeps that colour profile, so reds and greens don't go dull. Camera and location data (EXIF and GPS) are left out of the JPG. Photos with transparency, which are rare, become PNG.
How to convert HEIC photos to JPG
- Drop your HEIC files above. On an iPhone, tap Choose images and pick them from Photos; up to 30 at once.
- Each photo becomes a JPG right away at quality 80. Choose Auto to also scale big photos down to 1920 px for sharing, or set a File size if a form has a limit.
- Compare each JPG with the original up close, then download it, all of them as a ZIP, or save them to your phone.
JPG or PNG?
For photos, JPG is the right choice: a PNG of the same photo is many times bigger (6.21 MB for the example above). Convert HEIC to PNG only when a program insists on PNG or you need an exact copy for editing.
What happens to your images
Uploaded over HTTPS to the nearest of our servers, processed automatically, and deleted within 3 minutes after you finish. Never shared, sold or used for training. No account needed. Privacy policy
HEIC to JPG questions
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
A little, as any JPG does, but PicoDiet keeps only results that look the same at normal viewing size (score 80 or higher) and lets you compare them zoomed in. Raise the quality if you plan to print large or edit the photo.
Are the iPhone colours kept?
Yes. The Display P3 colour profile goes into the JPG, so the photo looks the same on screens that show wide colour.
Is the location removed?
Yes. Camera and GPS data are not copied into the JPG. The picture itself can of course still show where it was taken.
Can I stop my iPhone from saving HEIC?
Yes: Settings, Camera, Formats, Most Compatible. New photos are then saved as JPG, but they will be bigger than HEIC. Converting when you need to share keeps both advantages.
How many photos can I convert at once?
Up to 30 per batch, each up to 25 megapixels and 30 MB.
Are my images private?
Yes. Images are uploaded over an encrypted connection to the nearest of our servers, optimized, and deleted within 3 minutes after you finish. They are never shared, sold or used for training, and there is no account to sign up for. Details are in the privacy policy.