How to Convert HEIC to JPG for Email Attachments

You take beautiful photos on your iPhone, transfer them to your computer, and attach them to an email. Your Windows-using colleague replies: "I can't open the attachments — they're in some HEIC format." This scenario plays out thousands of times a day. The fix is simple, but it requires knowing what to do before you hit send.

Why HEIC Causes Email Attachment Problems

When you email a HEIC file, the recipient receives exactly what you sent: a raw HEIC file. Whether they can open it depends entirely on their device and email client:

Since you often don't know what device your recipient uses, converting to JPG before attaching is the safest approach. JPG is guaranteed to work everywhere.

Method 1: Chrome Extension (Fastest)

1. Install the Chrome extension Add the HEIC to JPG Converter from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Open your HEIC files Drag your HEIC files into Chrome or use Ctrl+O to open them.
3. Convert to JPG Click the extension icon, select JPG format, choose quality (85–90% is good for email), and click Convert.
4. Attach the JPG to your email Open your email client, compose your message, and attach the converted JPG files from your Downloads folder.

Method 2: Change iPhone Settings (Prevent the Problem)

The most permanent solution: configure your iPhone to send photos as JPG by default, eliminating the need for conversion entirely.

1. Open iPhone Settings Tap the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Go to Photos Scroll down and tap Photos.
3. Set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic Under "Transfer to Mac or PC", select Automatic. This converts HEIC to JPG when you transfer via USB.
4. For email specifically When emailing directly from the iPhone Photos app, select the photos you want to send, tap the Share button, and then tap Mail. IOS typically converts HEIC to JPG automatically in this workflow.

Method 3: macOS Mail Auto-Conversion

When attaching HEIC files in macOS Mail, you can choose a compatibility setting:

1. Open a new email in the macOS Mail app
2. Drag your HEIC files into the message body
3. Before sending, look for an "Image Size" dropdown in the bottom-right of the compose window
4. Select a size (Small, Medium, Large, or Actual Size)
5. macOS Mail may convert HEIC to JPG when you resize — check the attachment type after selection

This method isn't always reliable for HEIC-to-JPG conversion. The Chrome extension approach above is more predictable.

Best Quality Settings for Email Photos

Email Attachment Limits by Provider

Most email services limit total attachment size per message. Here's what to expect:

For large photo batches, consider using a cloud service instead of email: share via Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud link to avoid attachment size limits and ensure compatibility.