How to Convert HEIC Files Offline

There are good reasons to convert photos offline: travelling without Wi-Fi, a slow connection, or simply not wanting personal pictures to leave your computer. Here are your options.

In the browser — without uploading

HEIC.IS converts photos inside your browser. Once the converter page and its decoder have loaded, conversion doesn't need a connection at all: the files are read, converted and saved on your device.

To use it offline:

1. Open the converter while you're online.
2. Add one photo so the decoder is downloaded (or just hover over the drop zone).
3. Keep the tab open. You can now disconnect and continue converting.

This is also the answer if your concern is privacy rather than connectivity: your photos are never sent to a server. (Only the → HEIC tools use a server, because browsers can't create HEIC files.)

Mac: built-in and fully offline

• Finder Quick Action: right-click files → Quick Actions → Convert Image.
• Preview: File → Export and choose JPEG.
• Terminal: sips -s format jpeg photo.heic --out photo.jpg.

Details in how to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac.

Windows

With the HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions installed, the Photos app can open a HEIC photo and save a copy as JPG (… → Save as). It works one photo at a time. For batches, the browser converter above works offline once loaded.

Linux

Install the libheif tools (for example libheif-examples on Debian/Ubuntu) and convert with:

heif-dec -q 92 photo.heic photo.jpg

Older versions name the tool heif-convert.

On the iPhone itself

The Camera setting Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible makes new photos JPG — no conversion needed later. For existing photos, the browser converter works on the iPhone in Safari.

Comparison