iPhone Photos on Chromebook
Convert HEIC photos to JPG in a batch, without uploading them.
The Short Answer
iPhones save photos as HEIC files, and Chromebooks can't open them. Google's own list of file types ChromeOS supports includes JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP and BMP images, and leaves out HEIC.
Convert them to JPG in Chrome. You can do a whole batch at once and download them as one ZIP, and the photos never leave your Chromebook.
Convert HEIC to JPG →Convert a Batch on Your Chromebook
- Open HEIC to JPG in Chrome.
- Click the file picker and select the HEIC photos in the Files app. Press Ctrl+A to select every file in a folder.
- Click Convert to JPG and wait for the count to finish.
- Click Download all as ZIP. Open the ZIP in the Files app to get the JPGs.
For a large camera roll, work in groups of 50 to 100 photos. There's no limit, but each converted photo stays in memory until you download it, and most Chromebooks don't have much to spare.
Why Not Upload Them to a Converter Site?
Most online converters upload your photos to their server, and many cap free batches at a few dozen files. A camera roll is personal: family, kids, home, and photos of documents. This converter decodes the photos inside Chrome on your Chromebook, so there's nothing to upload and no batch limit.
Getting JPGs in the First Place
- From iCloud.com: open Photos, select the photos, and in the download menu choose More Download Options, then Most Compatible. Apple says this downloads photos as JPEG when possible. Unmodified Originals gives you HEIC.
- For new photos: on the iPhone, open Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPEG. They take more space on the phone, and photos already taken stay HEIC.
- Copying from the iPhone to a computer: by default, Apple says an iPhone may convert HEIC photos to JPEG when they're imported to a computer. If you're getting HEIC files, check Settings → Apps → Photos: Keep Originals turns that conversion off.
After Converting
- Sharing them? Phone photos can include the location they were taken. The Photo Metadata Remover strips it before you send them.
- Need them smaller? Use the Image Resizer.
- Submitting them as one document? Images to PDF puts them in a single PDF, in the order you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my iPhone photos open on my Chromebook?
iPhones save photos as HEIC files by default, and ChromeOS can't open them. Google's list of file types Chromebooks support includes JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP and BMP images, but not HEIC or HEIF. The photos aren't damaged; they just need converting.
How do I convert HEIC to JPG on a Chromebook?
Open the Fair Toolbox HEIC to JPG converter in Chrome, select the HEIC files from the Files app, and click Convert to JPG. When it's done, click Download all as ZIP to save them in one file, then open the ZIP in the Files app. The photos are converted on the Chromebook and never uploaded.
Can I convert hundreds of photos at once?
Yes, but in groups. There's no limit, but each converted photo is held in memory until you download it, so on a typical Chromebook converting 50 to 100 at a time is more reliable than one huge batch.
How do I get JPGs from iCloud instead?
On iCloud.com, open Photos, select the photos, and use the download menu's More Download Options to choose Most Compatible. Apple says that format downloads photos as JPEG when possible. Unmodified Originals gives you HEIC files.
How do I stop my iPhone making HEIC files?
On the iPhone, open Settings, tap Camera, tap Formats, then tap Most Compatible. New photos are then saved as JPEG. Photos you've already taken stay HEIC, so convert those.
Are my photos uploaded when I convert them?
No. The converter decodes each HEIC photo inside Chrome on your Chromebook. Nothing is sent to a server, which matters for family photos and pictures of documents.