JPG to HEIC Converter
Convert JPG to HEIC in your browser. JPG files usually come from cameras, phones, scanners and almost every app that saves photos; HEIC is the better fit for storing photos on Apple devices. You get a HEIF file whose picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder runs in a browser. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
JPG expected · other image formats also work
How to use JPG to HEIC
- 1
Add your JPG files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Set the quality. 85 keeps the picture close to the original at a modest size.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .heic files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for jpg to heic
Where the HEIC goes next
HEIC opens in Apple devices, recent Android phones, and Windows with the HEIF and HEVC extensions.
HEIC next to JPG
Both formats are lossy, so the size mostly follows the quality setting; at the default the HEIC usually lands in the same range as the JPG.
A second lossy pass
JPG is lossy already, since it stores lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution, so keep the quality at or above the default to avoid stacking a new layer of artefacts on the old one.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
JPG vs HEIC
What changes from JPG to HEIC
Encoding: the JPG uses lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution; HEIC uses lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles, and the download is a HEIF file whose picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder runs in a browser.
Bit depth: 8 bits per channel in the JPG; HEIC allows 8 or 10 bits per channel, and the HEIC written here has 8 bits per channel.
Colour: YCbCr shown as RGB, greyscale, or CMYK from print software in the JPG; HEIC supports YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the JPG can carry EXIF (camera, date, GPS), XMP, IPTC and an ICC profile in APP segments; HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items, but nothing is copied across.
About JPG
JPEG is the universal photo format. It compresses by discarding fine detail the eye is least sensitive to, which makes photos small but blurs sharp edges and text if pushed too far.
A JPEG starts with the bytes FF D8 and is a run of marker segments: APP1 carries EXIF and often a thumbnail, APP2 an ICC profile, DQT the quantization tables that decide the quality, and SOS the compressed scan, which ends at FF D9.
JPG files usually come from cameras, phones, scanners and almost every app that saves photos.
About HEIC
HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones and many Android phones. It is about half the size of JPEG, but Windows, many websites and older software cannot open it without converting.
A HEIC is a HEIF file (ISO base media boxes with the brand 'heic'). iPhone photos store the picture as a grid of 512×512 HEVC tiles that the decoder stitches together, with the thumbnail, depth map and HDR gain map as further items.
When converting JPG to HEIC makes sense
HEIC is the better choice for storing photos on Apple devices, while JPG suits photographs that need to open anywhere.
HEIC strengths: About half the size of JPEG; Stores depth maps, Live Photos and HDR. Drawbacks to weigh: Not supported by most websites and Windows apps; Patent-encumbered codec.
Limitations
- A JPEG that has been edited and re-saved several times has already lost detail; convert from the camera original when you have it.
- The file is a valid HEIF, but its picture is JPEG-coded rather than HEVC, so apps that expect HEVC (Apple Photos, Windows' HEVC extension) may not open it.
- The picture inside is JPEG-coded, so the file is about the size of a JPG at the same quality rather than the half size of a camera HEIC.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting JPG to HEIC lose quality?
HEIC is lossy, so detail the eye barely notices is discarded to save space. The JPG was lossy already, so keep the quality high to avoid stacking artefacts.
Will the HEIC open in Apple Photos?
Not always. The file is a valid HEIF container, but its picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder can run in a browser. libheif-based apps such as GIMP, darktable and ImageMagick open it; Apple Photos and Windows' HEVC extension expect HEVC and may refuse it. For an iPhone, JPG is the safer choice.
Which apps open HEIC files?
Apple devices, recent Android phones, and Windows with the HEIF and HEVC extensions. It opens in Safari on recent Apple systems; other browsers do not display it.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.