Preview is Apple's own app and it converts HEIC to JPG perfectly well — on a Mac, in six steps, for batches under 200 files. Here is when that is the right answer, and when PixHeic is better.
PixHeic: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS — any browser, any device
Quick verdict
Preview is excellent software. If you are on a Mac, need to preserve EXIF metadata, and have a batch of under 200 photos, it is a completely valid choice — it costs nothing, installs nothing, and never sends your photos anywhere. PixHeic wins in four specific situations: when you are on Windows or any non-Mac device, when your batch exceeds 200 files, when you want a single ZIP instead of a folder of individual files, and when you want a precise numerical quality slider rather than a vague Best-to-Least scale. Outside those situations, the right answer depends on what matters most to you.
Neither tool is difficult. But when you transfer photos from your iPhone and just want JPGs, the difference in steps adds up — especially when you repeat this process regularly.
Mac Preview — batch export
Open Finder and navigate to your HEIC files
Select all files (⌘+A), right-click → Open With → Preview
Wait for Preview to load all files into the sidebar
Press ⌘+A again to select all thumbnails in the sidebar
File → Export Selected Images → set Format to JPEG, adjust quality
Choose output folder → click Choose → wait for sequential processing
Result: JPGs saved individually to your chosen folder
PixHeic — any device
Open pixheic.com in any browser on any device
Drop your HEIC files — JPGs download automatically as a single ZIP
Result: All JPGs in one ZIP, ready to extract anywhere
Works identically on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Linux, and Chromebook. No installation, no app, no account.
This table is deliberately balanced — Preview has genuine strengths that no other comparison in this series could claim. The rows where it wins are included because they are real and matter to real users.
| Feature | PixHeic | Mac Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Platform availability | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | macOS only |
| Steps for a batch conversion | 2 steps — open, drop | 6+ steps — open, select, open with, select again, export, format, folder |
| Large batch reliability | Unlimited — device RAM is the only ceiling | Reliable to ~200 files; memory issues reported beyond that |
| Output packaging | Single ZIP — one click to download all | Individual files saved to a chosen folder |
| JPEG quality control | Precise slider 10%–100% | Descriptive slider: Best / High / Medium / Low / Least — no percentage |
| EXIF / GPS metadata | Always stripped — clean output, no location data | Preserved by default (macOS Ventura+) |
| Privacy — files leave device? | Never — 100% in-browser via WebAssembly | Never — 100% local, no upload |
| Cost | Free — no account, no paid tier | Free — included with macOS |
| Installation required | None — open in any browser | None — pre-installed on Mac |
| Works offline | Yes, once decoder is cached | Yes — fully offline, always |
| Original files protected | Always — originals never modified | Preview: yes. Automator: replaces originals by default unless configured otherwise |
✦ Privacy, cost, and offline capability are honest ties — both tools keep files local and cost nothing. The table reflects this rather than manufacturing a false win.
Preview is not a bad choice — it is simply the wrong tool in four specific situations that come up regularly.
Preview is macOS-exclusive. It does not exist on Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, or any other platform. If you transferred HEIC photos to a Windows PC — which is the most common scenario for Windows users who own an iPhone — Preview is simply not an option. PixHeic opens in any browser on any operating system with zero installation. The experience is identical whether you are on a Dell laptop, a Samsung phone, or a Chromebook in a library.
Multiple independent sources confirm that Preview runs into memory issues beyond a few hundred files. A holiday trip, a wedding, or a year of iPhone photos can easily reach 500–2,000 images. Preview slows down and can freeze mid-batch at that scale. For those scenarios, Terminal commands or dedicated tools are the Mac recommendation. PixHeic has no such ceiling — it processes files one at a time in a Web Worker so memory never accumulates to the point of failure.
Preview saves JPGs into a folder on your Mac. That is useful for archiving, but if you want to email a batch, upload to a drive, or share with someone else, you then need to zip the folder manually as a separate step. PixHeic produces a single ZIP automatically — drop your files, download one archive, attach it anywhere. If you are converting photos specifically to send them somewhere, this eliminates an entire extra step.
Preview's quality slider uses five labels: Best, High, Medium, Low, Least. There is no percentage readout, no numerical target, and no way to know whether "High" corresponds to 75% or 90%. For casual sharing this is fine. For photographers, designers, or anyone targeting a specific file size or quality level — say, exactly 85% for web uploads or 95% for printing — PixHeic's precise slider gives you that control directly, in the same step as the conversion itself.
Many Mac users discover Preview's batch limit and look for a faster alternative. The most commonly suggested option is Automator. Before using it, read this.
Automator's "Change Type of Images" replaces your originals
Automator's built-in image conversion action overwrites your original HEIC files with JPGs by default. Multiple users have reported permanently losing their original photos this way, with no undo possible once the action completes. To use it safely, you must manually add a "Copy Finder Items" step before the conversion step — a non-obvious setup that the workflow dialog does not explain or warn about.
PixHeic never modifies, reads from, or has any access to files outside what you explicitly drop into the browser window. Your originals are untouched at every step of the process.
Preview is Apple's own software, built on Apple's native image frameworks, and it is excellent within its use case. These are the situations where it genuinely outperforms or matches PixHeic.
You need EXIF metadata preserved. Preview uses Apple's native ImageIO framework, which handles HEIC metadata atomically and preserves GPS coordinates, camera model, capture date, and exposure data reliably on macOS Ventura and later. PixHeic strips all EXIF by design. If those fields matter — for a photography archive, a geotagging workflow, or a legal document — Preview is the better choice.
You are converting one or two files right now. For a single HEIC photo you already have open, double-click → File → Export → JPEG → Save is entirely frictionless. It takes under ten seconds. PixHeic is faster in aggregate for batches; for a single file already open in Preview, you may as well stay there.
You want to keep files on your Mac in an organised folder structure. Preview's output goes directly into whatever folder you choose, using your existing Finder organisation. PixHeic outputs a ZIP that you then extract. For a managed photo library where folder structure matters, Preview's direct-to-folder approach is cleaner.
You never want to open a browser for this. Some people prefer keeping photo workflows entirely within macOS native apps. Preview, Finder Quick Actions, and Photos are all valid options for that preference and require no browser at all.
Whether you are on a Mac, a Windows PC, or your phone — drop your HEIC files and collect a single ZIP of JPGs. No installation, no account, no file limit.
