HEIC to JPG or PNG: which format do you need?
JPG is a practical choice for photo sharing. PNG avoids another lossy encoding step, but neither format replaces your original HEIC.
Updated 2026-10-09
Choose JPG when you need a standard photo copy for an app or website that accepts JPEG. Choose PNG when you want to avoid an additional lossy image encoding step and the receiving app accepts PNG. Keep the HEIC original whichever output you choose.
Check which formats the receiving app accepts. If a form requires JPG, use JPG, then check its file-size limit too.
What JPG and PNG change
JPEG uses lossy compression: the encoder can discard image detail to reduce the file size. PNG uses lossless compression. MDN's image-format guide documents those differences.
Converting to PNG does not recover detail already missing from the source. It also does not prove that a converter keeps every piece of information stored in the HEIC file. Pixel encoding, metadata and support for extra media are different questions.
For a photograph you plan to attach or upload, try JPG first if the destination accepts it. For an image with fine text or edges that you will work on further, compare a PNG copy too. These are starting points for choosing an output, not guarantees about the size or appearance of a particular file.
Check a sample before converting a folder
Pick a representative HEIC file. If your folder contains both photos and images with fine text, test one of each.
Convert the sample to the format you need, then open the output in the receiving app. Inspect small lettering, faces, edges and dark areas at a useful viewing size. Check the actual file size as well. You cannot infer the size of the whole folder from the format name alone.
When using JPG, adjust the converter's quality control if the output looks rough or is too large for your destination. A higher setting is not a promise of lossless conversion. Start from the HEIC original each time you compare settings.
Convert HEIC files in Chrome
Convert HEIC to JPG provides a local workflow for HEIC and HEIF files. Its Chrome Web Store description lists JPG, JPEG and PNG output, batch conversion, adjustable JPG quality and separate-file or ZIP downloads.
Open the installed extension, choose the output format and quality settings you need, then add your supported files. The listing describes conversion starting when files are added, so check your settings before adding a batch.
Download the successful results and open a sample. If you use a ZIP, extract it before choosing the image files in another app. The ZIP is a container for the files, not an image format.
Keep the original when metadata matters
The extension's listing warns that EXIF information, including dates and location, may not survive JPG conversion completely. Check those fields in the output if you need them. PNG's lossless compression does not establish that this converter preserves the same metadata in PNG.
Keep the original for your photo library or later editing. A converted still image also does not preserve Live Photo behavior merely because you selected a higher JPG quality setting.
On a Mac, Apple documents another option: open the HEIF image in Photos or Preview, choose File > Export, and select JPEG or PNG. Use the same output checks whichever tool you choose.
Finish with a destination check
Try the converted file where you intend to use it. Confirm that it opens, has the expected orientation and fits the destination's limits. Keep the working copy apart from the original so you know which one to send.
For a website rejection, see what to check when a HEIC photo will not upload. For a Windows workflow, see converting HEIC photos to JPG on Windows.