MAC HACK: How to Mass Convert HEIC to JPG, JPEG, or PNG
HEIC is the Apple’s proprietary version of the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format), and only requires about half the storage space in comparison to JPGs. This is most often the format used when you airdrop images from your iPhone to your Mac computer, and is a bit cumbersome to convert. The most common way to convert HEICs is to open the images in Preview and export the images as JPG file format. However, there is a much faster way to mass convert HEIC with just a couple of clicks, thanks to Automator.
Automator is a native macOS component that comes with every Mac iOS. It automates custom workflows for repetitive tasks, such as combining PDF, converting files into PDF, etc., and enables actions to be performed en masse so that the user saves time.
Here’s a quick guide on how to quickly convert HEIC images to JPG or other image formats en masse, by creating a Quick Action in Finder with Automator.
1. Open Automator by: a. going to Launchpad
b. calling it up via Spotlight (command ⌘ + space)
c. Open Finder, and go to Application > Automator
2. Click on New Document
3. Click on Quick Action
4. In the Search bar, type Image, find “Change Type of Images”, and drag it into the empty space to the right.
5. Modify the settings. The action will always have “Copy Finder Items”, which is an option for you to save a copy of the images in HEIC format to a specific destination or folder. If you do not want that, you can click Replace existing files, or just remove the “Copy Finder Items” action by selecting the block and click delete or press the x on the right hand corner of the action block.
I usually remove the Copy Finder Item, because I have no use for HEICs and do not need copies of them.
Change Type to JPG, or format you use most commonly when working with images on your computer.
6. Save action by pressing File > Save or ⌘S, and name the action whatever you like, such as “Convert to JPG”.
That’s it. Now you can Mass Select HEIC, right click to use the quick action “Convert to JPG” and watch the magic work for you without even opening up Preview.
Other Quick Actions I have created is Combine PDFs and Resize Image to 67%. All actions available in the Automator. All you need to do is search for the functions.
xo
