Automatic not converting HEIC to JPG when airdropped to MacBook

Hi there, mccabana!

Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! That's abs excellent question you have about transferring photos from your iPhone to your Mac. Since you're wanting to transfer photos in HEIC format to JPEG, we suggest checking out this article for Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices:

"Sharing this media

iCloud Photos preserves media in its original format, resolution, and frame rate. If your device can't fully view, edit, or duplicate HEIF or HEVC media in iCloud Photos, or displays it at a lower resolution, upgrade to iOS 11 or later or macOS High Sierra or later.

When you share media using other methods, such as AirDrop, Messages, or email, it might be shared in a more compatible format, such as JPEG or H.264, depending on whether the receiving device supports the newer media format.

Converting this media

You can convert HEIF and HEVC media by exporting to a different format from an Apple or third-party app. For example:

• If you open an HEIF image in Photos or Preview on your Mac, you can choose File > Export, then choose a format such as JPEG or PNG before saving.
• If you open an HEVC video in QuickTime Player on your Mac, you can choose File > Export As, then save to H.264 by making sure the HEVC checkbox isn’t selected.

Importing this media via USB

When you import HEIF or HEVC media from an attached iOS device to Photos, Image Capture, or a PC, the media might be converted to JPEG or H.264.

You can change this import behavior in iOS 11 or later. Go to Settings > Photos. In the TRANSFER TO MAC OR PC section, tap Keep Originals to prevent the media from being converted to JPEG or H.264 when importing. "

We hope this information helps and take care!