Convert HEIF & HEIC to JPG or PNG on MAC without downloading any software or uploading to an internet service

BlogConvert HEIF & HEIC to JPG or PNG on MAC without downloading any software or uploading to an internet service

Convert HEIF & HEIC to JPG or PNG on MAC without downloading any software or uploading to an internet service

I recently needed to create an Ebay listing, and discovered they don’t support the new iPhone HEIC file format. After some googling, all I could find where tutorials on using an online service, or downloading software. I thought both of those seem sketchy to me. So I remembered. every Mac comes with the Automator application, which allows you to build scripts by dragging and dropping components.  And sure enough, converting HEIF or HEIC to JPG or PNG formats is supper simple.

In less than 5 minutes, I built a script to select the files and make copies in the correct format;

First, from the keyboard bring up spotlight search by typing  ⌘-space and entering Automator, enter to run the program.

Second, Once the programs, select create a new script, then in the script editor, simply find and select the following three modules; by finding them in the left hand tree menu then dragging them to the right hand panel.

  1. Ask for Finder Items
  2. Copy Finder Items
  3. Change Type of Images

 

 

 

 

 

 

The “Ask for Finder Items” is exactly that, and prompt the user to find and select Items (in this case HIEC photos).  Remember to check the ‘select multiple items’ checkbox.

The “Copy Finder Items” takes the Items, you selected in step 1,  and copies them to a new location.

Finally “Change Type of Image” takes the copies items and changes the filetype. You can select JPEG, JPEG 2000, PNG or TIFF.

That’s it. Simply navigate with the Finder to the folder you selected in Step 2, and your files are all converted.

This script is really basic, but you can extend this script in many ways. Such as ‘create thumbnails’,  ‘save to an iPhotos album’, ‘crop images’, and much more.

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