The fastest way to convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone

The quickest method is to use the Files app to convert one photo at a time. Open Files, find your HEIC photo in iCloud Drive or On My iPhone, press and hold it, tap Convert Image, choose JPEG, and save it. This works on iPhone running iOS 13 or later and takes about 30 seconds per photo.

If you have many photos to convert, the Shortcuts app is faster. You can build a shortcut that converts multiple HEIC files to JPG in one batch. Apple's Shortcuts app comes pre-installed on most iPhones; if yours doesn't have it, you can read it free from the App Store.

A third option is to change your iPhone's camera settings so new photos save as JPG instead of HEIC from the start. This prevents the conversion problem going forward but does not change photos you have already taken.

Key Takeaways

  • The Files app converts one HEIC photo to JPG by holding the file, tapping Convert Image, and choosing JPEG format.
  • The Shortcuts app can convert many photos at once if you build a batch conversion shortcut, which takes about 10 minutes to set up.
  • You can set your iPhone camera to save new photos as JPG instead of HEIC in Settings > Camera > Formats, though this uses more storage.
  • Third-party apps like Image Converter and CloudConvert offer conversion but require downloading software or uploading files to a website.

Converting photos one at a time with the Files app

Open the Files app on your iPhone. Navigate to the location where your HEIC photo is stored — usually iCloud Drive, On My iPhone, or a folder inside one of those. Scroll until you see the HEIC file you want to convert.

Press and hold the HEIC photo until a menu appears. Tap "Convert Image" from the menu. A new window will open showing format options. Select "JPEG" and tap "Convert". The app will create a new JPG version of the photo and save it to the same folder. Your original HEIC file stays unchanged.

This method works best for a handful of photos. If you have 20 or more to convert, using Shortcuts or a third-party app will save you time.

Batch converting with the Shortcuts app

The Shortcuts app lets you convert many HEIC photos to JPG in one action. Open Shortcuts, tap the plus sign to create a new shortcut, and search for "Ask for Photos" in the action library. Tap it to add it to your shortcut.

Next, search for "Convert Image" and add that action. In the Convert Image action, set the format to JPEG. Then search for "Save to Files" and add that action, choosing a folder where you want the JPG files to save. Tap "Done" to finish building the shortcut.

To use it, open Shortcuts, find your new shortcut, tap it, select the HEIC photos you want to convert, and let it run. The shortcut will convert all of them and save the JPG versions to your chosen folder. Building the shortcut takes about 10 minutes the first time; using it takes seconds.

Changing your camera to save as JPG instead of HEIC

If you want new photos to save as JPG automatically, you can change your camera format in Settings. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Camera, then tap Formats. You will see two options: High Efficiency (HEIC) and Most Compatible (JPG).

Tap "Most Compatible" to switch to JPG. From now on, photos you take will save as JPG files instead of HEIC. The trade-off is that JPG files use more storage space than HEIC files — a typical photo might be 3 MB as HEIC but 5 MB as JPG on the same iPhone.

This setting only affects new photos. Photos you have already taken in HEIC format will stay in HEIC format unless you convert them using one of the methods above.

Using third-party apps to convert HEIC to JPG

Apps like Image Converter, CloudConvert, and Convertio let you convert HEIC to JPG without using Files or Shortcuts. Most are free or cost a few dollars. read one from the App Store, open it, select your HEIC photo, choose JPG as the output format, and tap convert.

The advantage is simplicity — the app handles the conversion with fewer steps. The disadvantage is that you have to read and install new software, and some apps ask for permission to access your photos or internet connection. Read the app reviews before downloading to see what other users say about speed and privacy.

CloudConvert and similar web-based tools let you upload HEIC files from your iPhone and read the JPG versions. This works but requires uploading your photos to a website, which may not be ideal if privacy is a concern.

Why your iPhone uses HEIC format

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's newer photo format. It compresses photos more than JPG does, so HEIC files are smaller and take up less storage space on your phone. Apple switched to HEIC as the default in 2017 because storage was expensive and phones had limited capacity.

The problem is that not all devices, websites, and programs recognize HEIC files. Windows computers, older Android phones, and many online services expect JPG. That is why you may need to convert — not because JPG is better, but because the device or service you are sending the photo to does not understand HEIC.

Sending HEIC photos without converting them

If you are sending a photo to someone else, you do not always have to convert it first. When you share a photo through Messages, Mail, or AirDrop, your iPhone automatically converts it to a format the recipient's device can read. If you are sending to another iPhone user, the photo stays as HEIC. If you are sending to an Android phone or email, it converts to JPG automatically.

The only time you need to manually convert is when you are uploading to a website that specifically rejects HEIC files, or when you are saving a photo to a computer or external drive and want to control the format yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert HEIC to JPG on my Mac instead of my iPhone?

Yes. On a Mac, connect your iPhone or open iCloud Photos, find the HEIC file, right-click it, and select "Convert Image". Choose JPEG and save. This is faster if you have many photos because you can see them all at once on a larger screen.

Will converting HEIC to JPG reduce the photo quality?

Not noticeably. Both formats compress photos, and the quality loss is minimal for typical phone photos. You will not see a difference unless you zoom in very close or print the photo at a large size.

What if the Files app does not show a Convert Image option?

Make sure your iPhone is running iOS 13 or later. If it is and the option still does not appear, try restarting your iPhone. If the photo is in iCloud Drive, make sure it has finished downloading to your phone before you try to convert it.

Can I convert HEIC to JPG on an older iPhone?

The Files app method requires iOS 13 or later. If your iPhone is older, use a third-party app from the App Store or upload your photos to a web-based converter like CloudConvert.

Does changing to JPG format affect photos already on my iPhone?

No. Changing your camera format in Settings only affects new photos you take going forward. Existing HEIC photos stay in HEIC format until you convert them manually.