How to Open and Convert HEIC Files on macOS

macOS has the best native HEIC support of any desktop operating system. High Sierra (2017) added HEIF decoding at the system level, which means Preview, Finder, Photos, Safari, and most third-party Mac apps open HEIC files without any extra software. The problem is not opening the files. The problem is that everyone else cannot.

When you email a HEIC photo to a Windows user, upload it to a website that only accepts JPEG, or import it into a cross-platform design tool, you still need to convert. Here are the native Mac ways to do it, and when a browser tool is the faster option.

Option 1: Preview (File > Export)

Preview is the fastest way to convert a single HEIC file on a Mac.

1. Double-click the HEIC file to open it in Preview.
2. Choose File > Export from the menu bar.
3. Click the Format pop-up and select JPEG or PNG.
4. Pick a quality level (JPEG) and click Save.

Preview preserves EXIF metadata including capture date, camera model, and GPS coordinates. The export quality slider goes from Best to Least, with no numerical readout. Best is roughly equivalent to 90 to 95 percent JPEG quality, which is visually indistinguishable from the HEIC source for most photos.

Option 2: Finder Quick Actions

On macOS Catalina and later, right-click any HEIC file in Finder and look for Quick Actions. If you have not customized your Quick Actions, macOS may show a Convert Image option that lets you export to JPEG or PNG directly from the context menu.

To make sure the option is available, open System Settings > Keyboard > Services, scroll to the Images section, and check that Convert Image and Encode Selected Images are enabled. You can also build a custom Quick Action in Automator and attach it to the right-click menu.

Option 3: Photos app export

If your HEIC files are already in the Photos library, select one or more photos and choose File > Export > Export Photos. The dialog lets you pick JPEG or PNG, a quality preset, and whether to include metadata.

The catch: Photos exports to a subfolder named after the date and uses generic filenames like IMG_0001. If you need the original filenames, use Preview or Automator instead.

Option 4: Automator batch workflow

Automator is the native tool for converting dozens of files at once. Build a Quick Action workflow in a few minutes:

1. Open Automator and create a new Quick Action.
2. Set Workflow receives selected image files in Finder.
3. Add the Change Type of Images action (Library > Photos).
4. Choose JPEG or PNG as the target type.
5. Save the workflow and give it a name, like HEIC to JPEG.

After saving, select any group of HEIC files in Finder, right-click, choose Quick Actions, and select your workflow. The files are converted in place, with originals preserved.

Option 5: Command line (sips and heif-convert)

macOS ships with sips, a command-line image processor that reads HEIC natively:

sips -s format jpeg IMG_1234.HEIC --out IMG_1234.jpg

For batch conversion, wrap it in a shell loop:

for f in *.HEIC; do
  sips -s format jpeg "$f" --out "${f%.HEIC}.jpg"
done

If you have installed libheif through Homebrew, you also have heif-convert, which gives you explicit quality control:

brew install libheif
heif-convert -q 92 IMG.HEIC IMG.jpg

When a browser converter is faster

macOS native tools are excellent, but they are not always the fastest path. A browser-based converter that runs libheif as WebAssembly can be quicker in these situations:

• You are on a work Mac where you cannot install Homebrew or modify Automator workflows.
• You only need one or two files and do not want to open Preview or Photos.
• You need PNG output (Preview supports this, but a browser tool gives you a one-click path).
• You want to convert on someone else's Mac without leaving files in the Downloads folder or Photos library.

The key advantage is the same as on every other platform: nothing leaves your machine. The conversion happens inside the browser tab, not on a remote server.

Frequently asked

Can I open HEIC files on macOS without any extra software?

Yes. macOS High Sierra and later open HEIC in Preview, Finder, Photos, and Safari with no extensions or downloads required.

Does Preview lose quality when exporting to JPEG?

All JPEG exports are lossy, but Preview at Best quality is visually identical to the HEIC source for normal photos. If you need pixel-perfect preservation for editing or medical imaging, export to PNG or TIFF instead.

Does sips preserve EXIF and GPS data?

Yes. sips preserves metadata by default, including capture date, camera model, and GPS coordinates. If you use a third-party tool that strips metadata, check the output before bulk converting a photo archive.

Why would a Mac user need a browser converter at all?

Native tools work well for personal files, but browser converters are useful when you need to convert on a borrowed machine, avoid installing software on a locked-down work Mac, or quickly switch between JPEG and PNG without opening multiple apps.