How to Save iPhone Photos as JPG Instead of HEIC
iPhones save photos in HEIC by default. It is an efficient format, but many websites, Windows PCs, Android phones and office tools still expect JPG. If your photos keep getting rejected by upload forms or will not open for the people you send them to, switching to JPG solves it.
Below you will learn how to make your iPhone take JPG photos, how to get JPG files automatically when copying to a computer, and how to convert the HEIC photos you already have.
Why your iPhone uses HEIC
HEIC stores the same picture in roughly half the space of a JPG with similar quality. On a phone with thousands of photos, that saves many gigabytes. It also supports features such as 16-bit color and Live Photos.
The trade-off is compatibility. Apple devices handle HEIC everywhere, but outside the Apple ecosystem support is patchy.
Take new photos as JPG
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Camera, then Formats.
- Choose Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency.
From now on the Camera app saves photos as JPG and videos as H.264. Expect files to be noticeably larger, and note that some high-efficiency video modes may become unavailable while this setting is on.
Get JPG automatically when copying to a computer
If you want to keep HEIC on the phone to save space, let the iPhone convert photos only when they leave the device.
- Open Settings and tap Photos.
- Scroll to the bottom and find Transfer to Mac or PC.
- Select Automatic. Photos copied over a USB cable will now arrive as JPG.
- This setting applies to cable transfers. Photos sent through some cloud services or messaging apps may still arrive as HEIC.
Convert HEIC photos you already have
Changing the settings does not affect photos that are already saved. To convert existing HEIC files to JPG:
- Copy the HEIC photos to your computer, or open PixShift directly in Safari on your iPhone.
- Open the HEIC to JPG converter and drop the photos into the box, or tap it to pick photos.
- Download the JPG files one by one, or all together as a ZIP.
- Photos are converted on your own device and are never uploaded.
- Use the quality slider if you need smaller files; 85–90% keeps photos looking the same as the original.
Should you switch to JPG permanently?
- Keep High Efficiency if you mostly share photos with other Apple devices or are short on storage.
- Choose Most Compatible if you constantly upload photos to websites, Windows PCs or work tools.
- A good middle ground: keep HEIC on the phone, set the transfer option to Automatic, and convert individual photos when needed.