In today’s digital world, sharing photos across different platforms and devices should be seamless. However, you might have encountered HEIC files on your Mac and realized they aren’t universally compatible. HEIC is Apple’s modern image format, excellent for saving space without losing quality. But when it comes to sharing with users on Windows, Android, or even some older software, JPG remains the king. If you’re wondering How To Change Photos From Heic To Jpg on your Mac, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will walk you through the easy steps to convert your HEIC images to the more widely accepted JPG format, ensuring your photos can be viewed by anyone, anywhere.
Understanding HEIC and Why Convert to JPG
Before diving into the conversion process, let’s briefly understand why you might need to convert HEIC to JPG. HEIC, or High-Efficiency Image Container, is a file format that Apple adopted as the default for iPhones and Macs. It’s designed to store images more efficiently than JPG, meaning HEIC files take up less storage space while maintaining comparable image quality. This is great for saving space on your devices.
However, the primary reason to convert HEIC to JPG arises from compatibility issues. While Apple devices natively support HEIC, other operating systems and platforms may not. JPG, on the other hand, is a universally recognized image format. Virtually every device, operating system, web browser, and image editing software supports JPG. Converting your HEIC photos to JPG ensures that anyone can easily view your images, regardless of the technology they are using. This makes JPG the ideal format for sharing photos online, with friends and family who use different devices, or when uploading images to websites or services with format restrictions.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Your Mac Using Preview
The simplest and quickest method to change photos from HEIC to JPG on a Mac is by leveraging the built-in Preview application. Preview is more than just a basic image viewer; it’s a powerful tool that includes image conversion capabilities. Here’s how to use it to convert your HEIC files:
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Open the HEIC Image with Preview: Locate the HEIC image you want to convert on your Mac. Right-click on the file, select “Open With,” and choose “Preview.” This will open the HEIC image in the Preview application.
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Access the Export Menu: Once the image is open in Preview, navigate to the top menu bar. Click on “File,” and then from the dropdown menu, select “Export…” This will open the export dialog box.
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Choose JPG as the Output Format: In the export dialog box, you’ll see various options, including a “Format” dropdown menu. Click on this menu and select “JPEG” (JPG) from the list of available formats.
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Rename and Choose Save Location: Give your newly converted JPG photo a new name, or keep the same name. Choose where you want to save the JPG file on your Mac. You can select any folder you prefer.
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Complete the Conversion: Finally, click the “Save” button. Preview will now convert the HEIC image to JPG and save it in your chosen location. You now have a JPG version of your photo ready to be shared and viewed universally.
Saving Images Directly as JPG on Your Mac
If you frequently need JPG images and prefer to avoid the conversion step altogether, you can configure your Mac to save images as JPG by default in certain situations. Here are a couple of scenarios:
Saving Online Images as JPG
When saving images directly from the internet using your web browser on a Mac, you have the option to choose the format. Here’s how to ensure you save as JPG:
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Control-Click the Image: Find the image online that you want to save as a JPG. Instead of a regular right-click, use Control-click (hold down the Control key while clicking on the image).
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Select “Save Image As…”: From the context menu that appears, choose the option “Save Image As…” This will open a save dialog box.
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Choose JPG from the Format Menu: In the save dialog box, look for a “Format” dropdown menu. Select “JPG” or “JPEG” from the available options. If the option is available, it will ensure the image is saved in JPG format.
Changing Screenshot Format to JPG via Terminal
For users who frequently take screenshots on their Mac and want them saved as JPG instead of the default HEIC, you can use the Terminal application to change the default screenshot format.
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Open Terminal: Open the Terminal application on your Mac (you can find it in Applications > Utilities > Terminal, or by using Spotlight search).
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Enter the Command: Type or paste the following command into the Terminal window and press Enter:
defaults write com.apple.screencapture type JPG -
Apply Changes (Optional): In most cases, the change is immediate. However, if it doesn’t take effect right away, you can restart your Mac or log out and log back in.
After executing this command, all new screenshots you take on your Mac will be saved in JPG format. If you ever want to revert to the default HEIC format for screenshots, you can use a similar command, replacing “JPG” with “HEIC”.
Why Bother Converting? The Benefits of JPG
While HEIC offers excellent compression and quality, JPG’s universal compatibility is its biggest advantage. Choosing to convert HEIC to JPG is primarily about ensuring accessibility and ease of sharing. JPG files can be opened and viewed on virtually any device without needing special software or plugins. This makes JPG ideal for:
- Sharing photos with friends and family: You don’t need to worry whether they use Apple devices or not; JPG works for everyone.
- Uploading images online: Most social media platforms, websites, and online services prefer or universally support JPG.
- Ensuring long-term access: JPG has been around for a long time and is likely to remain a supported format for many years to come, ensuring your photos remain accessible in the future.
In conclusion, while HEIC is a technically superior format for storage efficiency on Apple devices, JPG remains the most practical choice when it comes to sharing and universal accessibility. Knowing how to change photos from HEIC to JPG on your Mac empowers you to make your photos viewable by anyone, on any device, making sharing your visual memories a breeze.
