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How to Batch Convert iPhone HEIC Photos to WebP on a Mac (3 Ways)

Published by @SoNiceInfo at 9/22/2026 (Updated: 11/2/2026)

When trying to convert iPhone HEIC photos into WebP for websites or blogs on a Mac, creators quickly hit an unexpected wall: macOS built-in tools cannot export WebP, and Google's cwebp CLI throws an error because it cannot read HEIC. Here are the three fastest and most reliable ways to batch-convert HEIC to WebP on macOS, completely offline.

Why is HEIC to WebP conversion tricky on Mac?

Since iOS 11, iPhones have captured photos in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) by default to save storage space. Meanwhile, WebP has become the de facto standard for web performance and Core Web Vitals.

However, converting between the two on macOS encounters a double limitation:

• macOS built-in sips: Can read HEIC, but cannot write WebP.
• Google official cwebp: Can encode WebP, but cannot decode HEIC.
• Finder Quick Action ("Convert Image"): Only outputs JPEG or PNG; WebP is omitted.

Consequently, users must either use an application that integrates both codecs or run a multi-step conversion script.

RecommendedMethod 1: Direct batch conversion with a GUI app

The smoothest approach is WebP Converter., which accepts HEIC input natively and writes WebP files in a single pass.

An interactive Before/After split slider allows you to visually verify image sharpness and color accuracy before exporting. Since all decoding and encoding happens locally on your Mac, your personal camera roll remains completely private.

Method 2: Two-step shell script using sips + cwebp

If you prefer a terminal-based workflow via Homebrew, you can bridge the codec gap by using macOS's built-in sips to create a temporary JPEG, then passing it to cwebp.

First, install the WebP package via Homebrew:

brew install webp

Then execute this shell loop in the directory containing your HEIC files:

mkdir -p webp_out
for f in *.heic *.HEIC; do
  [ -f "$f" ] || continue
  # Transcode to high-quality temporary JPEG via sips
  sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 95 "$f" --out "/tmp/${f%.*}.jpg" > /dev/null
  # Compress to WebP via cwebp
  cwebp -q 80 "/tmp/${f%.*}.jpg" -o "webp_out/${f%.*}.webp"
  rm "/tmp/${f%.*}.jpg"
done

While effective for automated headless scripts, this approach introduces intermediate disk I/O and cannot provide visual comparison prior to export.

Method 3: Built-in macOS Shortcuts app

The Shortcuts app on macOS Monterey or later cannot write WebP by itself: its "Convert Image" action uses the same macOS image engine as sips, which can read WebP but not write it. What Shortcuts can do is run the commands from Method 2, which puts HEIC to WebP conversion in Finder's right-click menu:

1. In the Shortcuts app's settings, turn on "Allow Running Scripts".
2. Create a new shortcut, and in its details turn on "Use as Quick Action" with Finder checked.
3. Add the "Run Shell Script" action, set "Pass Input" to "as arguments", and paste the script below. The WebP files are saved in your Downloads folder.
4. Select HEIC photos in Finder, right-click, and choose the shortcut under Quick Actions.

out="$HOME/Downloads"
for f in "$@"; do
  name=$(basename "${f%.*}")
  sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 95 "$f" --out "/tmp/$name.jpg" > /dev/null
  /opt/homebrew/bin/cwebp -quiet -q 80 "/tmp/$name.jpg" -o "$out/$name.webp"
  rm "/tmp/$name.jpg"
done

You still need cwebp from Method 2. The script calls it by its full path so that the shortcut can find it: /opt/homebrew/bin/cwebp on a Mac with Apple silicon. On an Intel Mac, change it to /usr/local/bin/cwebp. There is no quality slider, EXIF control, or side-by-side comparison either, so for serious web optimization a dedicated app is much faster.

Recommended WebP quality settings for iPhone photos

• Outdoor landscapes and general snapshots: Quality 75–80 (Lossy) is the sweet spot. It delivers ~50% file size reduction with imperceptible difference to the human eye.
• Portraits & subtle gradients: Quality 82–88 prevents posterization in skin tones and smooth shadows.
• Screenshots with text: If capturing text or vector graphics, switch to Lossless mode to keep edges perfectly crisp.

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