Forum Discussion
How can I convert multiple heic to jpg on mac
I recently transferred a bunch of photos from my iPhone to my Mac, and found that they were all in HEIC format, a total of more than 2,000 photos! š Now I want to convert heic to JPG on Mac, but here comes the problem: converting them one by one manually is completely unrealistic and too painful...
I tried using Preview to batch convert, but it was very slow, the Mac fan was spinning wildly, and it occasionally crashed. Then I tried several online conversion tools, but either they had file number limits or were too troublesome to upload and download.
Is there any efficient and hassle-free way to quickly convert so many HEIC to JPG on Mac at once? It would be best if the original image quality could be retained, and I donāt want it to be compressed and blurred. Is there any big guy who can share his practical experience! š
TunessBro HEIC Converter for Mac is the best app for doing this. I have been using this app on my MacBook Pro for years and it is much better than the command line and preview tools.
I followed this tutorial and converted 800 heic files successfully.
https://www.osxmac.com/batch-convert-heic-to-jpg-mac
It supports batch conversion and keeps all exif data of original heic images. This is the preferred way to convert .heic to .jpg on any Mac!
10 Replies
- MaverickNexusIron Contributor
If your want to convert multiple HEIC to JPG on Mac and the needs are not particularly large, for example, you only need to convert a few hundred photos instead of thousands, then online conversion tools are actually a good choice! No need to install any software, just drag and convert directly, it is easy and convenient!
How to use online tools to batch convert HEIC to JPG on Mac?
Open the website, such as:- ILoveIMG (supports batch, simple and direct)
- Convsertio (supports cloud conversion)
- HEIC2JPEG (upload and convert, no lag)
- Drag HEIC photos in (most websites support batch uploading of dozens of photos).
- Select JPG as the output format and click "Convert".
- Wait for a few seconds/minutes, after the conversion is completed, click Download, and all HEIC photos will become JPG!
ā Disadvantages:
The file size is limited, you can't convert too many at a time, 2000+ HEIC photos may not be handled.
Need to upload and download, if the network speed is slow, it may be more time-consuming.
Privacy issues: Photos are uploaded to the cloud, and some people may worry about data security (although most tools promise not to store data). - EverettiinIron Contributor
Not all JPGs are created equal. Some programs or websites might have issues with certain JPG versions or quality settings. You should be aware of this when converting HEIC to JPG on Mac. I once sent a file to a friend who couldnāt open it because I didnāt check the compatibility! Always double-check that whatever youāre exporting will work for your intended use.
- NguyenaisBronze Contributor
TunessBro HEIC Converter for Mac is the best app for doing this. I have been using this app on my MacBook Pro for years and it is much better than the command line and preview tools.
I followed this tutorial and converted 800 heic files successfully.
https://www.osxmac.com/batch-convert-heic-to-jpg-mac
It supports batch conversion and keeps all exif data of original heic images. This is the preferred way to convert .heic to .jpg on any Mac!
- SincererIron Contributor
When you convert HEIC to JPG, you often get to tweak the quality settings. Donāt just slap it on the default and assume itāll be fine. I learned this the hard way when I saved a family portrait at a lower quality, and it ended up looking all pixelated and fuzzyāyikes! Try to find a good balance based on what you plan to do with the images.
When you save your converted files, make sure to rename them if theyāre all going to be in the same folder. Iāve had a time when I just appended ā_convertedā to the names, and then I ended up with a mess of files that I couldnāt differentiate. Not cool when youāre looking for that one special shot!
Sometimes, you just want to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac in a hurry and end up clicking through things too quickly. Iāve done this and wound up exporting the wrong images or none at all. Take your timeāmaking sure you select the right files will save you headaches later.
- HolawayIron Contributor
No need to install any software, Mac comes with a hidden batch conversion tool! Open Terminal and paste the following command:
mkdir ~/Desktop/JPG_Output for file in *.heic; do sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 100 "$file" --out ~/Desktop/JPG_Output/"${file%.*}.jpg"; done
This method actually uses the system's built-in sips tool script processing to automatically traverse all HEIC files in the current directory and output them to the newly created JPG_Output folder on the desktop, retaining 100% image quality. The actual conversion speed is 5 times faster than the preview, and it does not occupy graphical interface resources.
Keyword Tips: Before execution, you need to use the cd command to enter the directory where the heic image is located. It is suitable for users who are familiar with basic commands to convert heic to jpg on mac.
- AxelVortexIron Contributor
I transferred more than 2,000 photos from my iPhone to my Mac, but they were all in HEIC format. I was completely confused at the time. I spent a lot of time looking for how to batch convert HEIC to JPG on Mac. I tried various tools, but they either cost money or were too troublesome. Later, I found that the built-in "Photos" App (Photos) on Mac can actually do it. It's super easy!
- Batch convert HEIC to JPG on Mac with Photos, simple and rough!
- Open the "Photos" App (Photos). If your HEIC photos are already in iCloud, select them directly; if they are in Finder, you can drag them in directly.
- Select all the HEIC photos you want to convert (press Cmd + A to select all).
- Find "File" ā "Export" ā "Export Photos" in the top menu.
- Select the export format JPEG and the image quality "Highest" (this will not affect the image quality).
- Select a storage location, such as creating a new folder "JPG Photos" on the desktop.
- Click Export, wait a few minutes, and all your HEIC photos will be converted to JPG. Itās ridiculously fast!
The only small problem: if your HEIC photos are already in Finder, you have to drag them into Photos before you can export them. But compared to various complicated methods, this little trouble is completely acceptable.
If you are like me and are troubled by the problem of HEIC to JPG on Mac, it is the easiest to export directly with the "Photos" app. It is simple, fast, and lossless, and you donāt have to mess around at all! š„š„š„
- Timothy1525Iron Contributor
In fact, macOS comes with a free command line for .heic to .jpg conversion called sips (Scriptable Image Processing System.) It is a built-in command line tool for macOS and iOS that can be used without installation. It is designed for image processing, supports format conversion, scaling, rotating, adding metadata and other operations, and can quickly complete batch tasks with simple command line commands. The underlying layer is based on Apple's image processing framework, which is highly compatible and efficient.
Search and open Terminal via Spotlight (ā Command + Space). For single HEIC to JPG conversion, you can use this command:
sips -s format jpeg input.heic -o output.jpg
For batch HEIC to JPG conversion on Mac, you can copy and paste the following script:
for file in ~/Downloads/HEIC/*.heic; do sips -s format jpeg "$file" -o "${file%.heic}.jpg"; done
sips is the most powerful free command line image tool for macOS users, suitable for technical users who need to batch process HEIC to JPG. It requires no installation, operates efficiently, and has precise control over output quality and format, especially for scenarios with complex requirements for file names and paths. However, the threshold of the command line is high, ordinary users may need to learn the basic syntax or use it in combination with scripts. If you are looking for simplicity and speed, we recommend you to try āPreviewā app or third-party tools.
- ZachariahhIron Contributor
If youāve got a bunch of HEIC photos you want to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac, the Photos app might be the way to go:
- Import HEIC files: Open the Photos app and import your HEIC files if they arenāt already in there.
- Export: Select the photos you want to convert, then go to File > Export > Export [number] Photos.
- Select JPEG: Choose āJPEGā as the format in the options that pop up. Again, you can tweak the quality here if you want.
- Export and save: Click Export, then pick your save location, and you're all set!
If youāre not feeling like dealing with apps, you can always use online converters. Just Google "HEIC to JPG converter," upload your images, and download them in no time. Just keep in mind that not all online services are created equal, so stick with ones that look reputable!
- DvorakyIron Contributor
Preview is a lightweight image viewing and editing tool built into macOS that requires no additional installation when it comes to convert heic to jpg on macOS. It supports a wide range of image formats, provides basic editing features (cropping, labeling, annotating, etc.), and quickly converts files through a simple interface.
1. When you double-click a HEIC image, the system will automatically open it with the "Preview" application.
2. Click File > Export in the top menu bar.
3. In the pop-up window, you can customize a few options for HEIC to JPG conversion on Mac.
- Format: Select JPEG.
- Quality: The sliding bar can adjust the compression ratio (default 100% without distortion, the lower the value, the smaller the file).
- Location: Specify the save path (e.g. desktop or new folder).
4. Click "Save" to finish the conversion.
Does it support batch conversion? Currently, Preview does not support batch conversion from HEIC to JPEG on Mac, but you can use the following techniques. Hold down the Option key and drag the selected HEIC files to the preview window, and then export them to JPG one by one. Or use Automator to create a workflow for batch conversion (some technical skills are required).
Preview is the most straightforward solution to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac. It requires no installation, is easy to use, and is completely free of charge, making it ideal for quick conversions of small amounts of files. Its advantage lies in its deep integration with the system, strong compatibility, and the ability to visually preview changes in image quality.
- BenjaminBlazeIron Contributor
I have encountered this problem before. When I transferred photos from iPhone to Mac, they were all HEIC. As a result, various software did not work well. Preview was very slow and online conversion was limited. Later, I found that the Automator (automatic operation/assembly line factory) that comes with Mac can directly batch handle it with one click, which is super convenient!
Here are the steps to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac with Automator:
- Open Automator (press Cmd + Space to search for "Automator" and open it directly).
- Create a new "Quick Action" (select "Quick Action").
- Add an action: Search for "Change Type of Images" on the left and drag it to the right.
- Select "JPEG" in the "To Type" option, and then check Keep the original image (to prevent HEIC from being overwritten).
- Save and name it (for example, HEIC to JPG).
Drag and drop directly when converting: select your 2000+ HEIC pictures, right-click ā Run the quick action you just created, and JPG will be out in seconds!
Advantages:
ā Completely free, no need to install any software
ā Local conversion, no need to worry about privacy leakage
ā Just drag and drop, no need to open the software every time
ā Super fast, Mac comes with optimization, will not crashI used to convert 3000+ heic to jpg on Macbook m2, opened Automator and dragged them all, and it only took a few minutes. Highly recommended! Apple's built-in tools are really not covered, definitely N times faster than Preview! You should try it, it is guaranteed to be useful!