How to Make iPhone Save Photos as JPG, Not HEIC
Switch your iPhone camera from HEIC to JPG, convert existing photos on export, and make sure shared photos open everywhere.
By Ahsan Khowaja · · 6 min read
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To make your iPhone save photos as JPG, open Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. Every new photo is then saved as JPEG instead of HEIC. This does not change photos you have already taken, so for those you either let the iPhone convert them when you transfer or share, or convert them yourself on a computer. The steps for each are below, along with what you give up by switching.
Set Camera to Most Compatible
Apple's support article on HEIF and HEVC media describes the setting. On your iPhone:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Camera.
- Tap Formats.
- Tap Most Compatible.
Apple's wording is direct: after this, "all new photos and videos will now use JPEG or H.264 format". To go back to the space-saving formats, choose High Efficiency in the same place.
Three things to know about this setting:
- It affects videos too. Most Compatible records video in H.264 instead of HEVC, so video files also grow.
- It only affects new photos. Your existing library stays in HEIC.
- Some camera features may change. Apple's iPhone guide explains that high-resolution options such as 48 MP capture are controlled from the same Formats screen, via Resolution Control or ProRAW & Resolution Control depending on your model. After switching to Most Compatible, take a test photo and check the camera still captures the way you want.
If you are not sure whether you need the switch, our explainer on what HEIC is sets out where the format works and where it does not.
How do I get iPhone photos onto a Windows PC as JPG?
On the iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Photos and set the transfer option to Automatic. Photos are then converted to a compatible format, such as JPEG, when you import them to a PC. Keep Originals copies the HEIC files as they are, and Windows needs extra extensions to open those. If you copy photos from your iPhone to a computer, a separate setting decides whether they arrive as HEIC or JPG. Apple's support article explains that when you import HEIF media into Photos, Image Capture or a PC, it "might be converted to JPEG". To control this, go to Settings > Apps > Photos and scroll down to the transfer options:
| Option | What you get on the computer |
|---|---|
| Automatic | Photos converted to a compatible format, such as JPEG, during the transfer |
| Keep Originals | The original files, so HEIC stays HEIC |
If you use a Windows PC and do not want to install extra codecs, keep this on Automatic. Choose Keep Originals only if you want the HEIC files themselves, for example to archive them at their smallest size.
Importing to Windows step by step
Apple's guide to transferring photos to a Mac or PC lists these steps for Windows:
- Install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store.
- Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable.
- Unlock the iPhone if asked.
- If you see Trust This Computer, tap Trust or Allow.
- Import the photos with the Microsoft Photos app, following Microsoft's instructions.
If you have already copied HEIC files to Windows and they will not open, Microsoft's Store listing for the HEIF Image Extension explains that it lets Windows read HEIF files, and that the HEVC Video Extensions package is also needed for .heic files.
How do I convert existing HEIC photos to JPG?
For HEIC photos you have already taken, you have three practical routes: on a Mac, open the photo in Preview and use File > Export with JPEG as the format; on a PC, import the photos again with the transfer setting on Automatic; or on the iPhone, build a shortcut with a Convert Image action set to JPEG.
On a Mac with Preview
Apple's Preview guide shows how to convert an image to another format:
- Open the HEIC photo in Preview.
- Choose File > Export.
- Click the Format pop-up menu and choose JPEG.
- Adjust the quality slider if you want a smaller file, then save.
On a PC, by transferring with Automatic on
Set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic (see above) and import the photos again. They arrive as JPEG.
On the iPhone itself, with Shortcuts
Apple's Shortcuts app includes transform actions that can convert content to a different format. Build a shortcut with a Convert Image action set to JPEG, followed by Save to Photo Album, and turn on Show in Share Sheet so you can run it from the Share button in Photos. The converted copy is saved next to the original.
Does the iPhone convert HEIC to JPG when you share?
You may not need to convert anything when you share directly from your iPhone. Apple says that when you share by AirDrop, Messages or email, photos "might automatically be shared in a more compatible format, such as JPEG or H.264" if the receiving device does not support HEIF.
The word "might" matters. Uploads to websites, forms and image hosts are where HEIC most often causes trouble. Many upload forms accept only JPG and PNG.
Our uploader is an exception: PictureToLink accepts HEIC photos and converts them to JPG in your browser before they upload, so you can upload a photo and get a link without converting it first, with location data stripped automatically. If a photo can't be converted (this can happen with some burst or depth photos), use our HEIC to JPG converter or export it as JPEG from the Photos app.
Should I switch my iPhone from HEIC to JPG?
Switch to JPG if you regularly upload photos to websites, send them to Windows users or work with older software. Stay on HEIC if storage is tight and you mostly share through iMessage, AirDrop or iCloud. HEIC files are smaller, while JPG works almost everywhere but fills storage faster.
| Keep High Efficiency (HEIC) | Switch to Most Compatible (JPG) | |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | Smaller files; Apple says HEIF uses less space than JPEG at the same visual quality | Larger files, so storage and iCloud fill faster |
| Compatibility | Rejected by many websites, needs extensions on Windows, shows in Safari 17+ only on the web | Works almost everywhere |
| Effort when sharing | Sometimes needs converting | Nothing to do |
| Video | HEVC (smaller) | H.264 (larger) |
Whichever you choose, JPG files from a modern iPhone can still be large. If you need to get a photo under an upload limit, our guide to reducing photo size on iPhone covers resolution settings, Shortcuts and compressing to an exact KB size.
Common questions
I switched to Most Compatible, but my old photos are still HEIC. That is expected. The setting only changes how new photos are saved. Convert older ones with Preview, a transfer set to Automatic, or a Shortcuts conversion.
Does switching make my photos look better or worse? Neither, in normal viewing. Apple says HEIF keeps the same visual quality as JPEG in less space, so switching mainly costs storage rather than quality.
Can I change the extension from .heic to .jpg? Renaming a file does not convert it. The data inside is still HEIC, and many apps will fail to open it. Always convert or export.
Will a website convert HEIC for me? Some do, many do not. If a site rejects your photo with an "unsupported format" error, convert it to JPG and try again.
Next step
Open Settings > Camera > Formats now and pick the option that fits how you share. If a site has just rejected a HEIC photo, export that one as JPEG with the steps above, then upload it again.