Need to convert HEIC files on your Mac? Good news: Mac has built-in HEIC support, making conversion easy. This guide shows you 3 methods from quick online conversion to batch processing with Automator.
The quickest way to convert HEIC files - no app switching needed.
Go to HoneyConvert.com in Safari or Chrome
Drag and drop your HEIC files onto the page
Select PNG, JPEG, or WebP and click Convert
Download your converted files (ZIP for multiple files)
Use Mac's built-in Preview app - no downloads needed.
Right-click the HEIC file → Open With → Preview
Go to File → Export
Select PNG or JPEG from the Format dropdown
Choose destination and click Save
Batch conversion in Preview: Select multiple HEIC files in Finder, right-click → Open With → Preview. Then go to Edit → Select All, then File → Export Selected Images.
Create a Quick Action to convert HEIC files with a right-click.
Open Automator (search in Spotlight)
Create a new Quick Action
Set "Workflow receives" to image files in Finder
Add action: Change Type of Images → Select JPEG or PNG
Save as "Convert to PNG" (or JPEG)
Now right-click any HEIC file → Quick Actions → Convert to PNG!
| Feature | Online | Preview | Automator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time | None | None | 5 minutes |
| Batch conversion | Easy | Manual | Automatic |
| WebP support | Yes | No | No |
| Works offline | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Quick tasks | Single files | Regular use |
Yes! Macs running macOS High Sierra (10.13) or later can open HEIC files without any additional software. Just double-click the file and it opens in Preview.
Open the HEIC file in Preview, go to File → Export, select JPEG from the Format dropdown, and click Save. For multiple files, select them all in Finder, open in Preview, then use File → Export Selected Images.
Three options: 1) Use HoneyConvert online (easiest). 2) Select multiple files in Finder, open in Preview, Edit → Select All, File → Export Selected Images. 3) Create an Automator Quick Action for right-click conversion.
You may need to convert when sharing photos with Windows users, uploading to websites that don't accept HEIC, or working with apps that don't support HEIC format.
JPEG uses lossy compression, so there's technically some quality loss. However, at 90%+ quality settings, the difference is imperceptible. For perfect quality, convert to PNG instead.