The fastest way to convert HEIC photos to JPG on your iPhone
You can convert HEIC photos to JPG directly on your iPhone using the Files app and a free shortcut, or by changing your camera settings to save new photos as JPG from now on. The Files app method takes about two minutes per photo and works on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later. If you want to stop taking HEIC photos altogether, you can switch your camera to JPG in Settings, though this uses more storage space.
HEIC is Apple's newer photo format—it takes up less space but doesn't open on all computers and phones. JPG is the older standard that works everywhere. Most people convert HEIC to JPG because they need to email photos, upload them to a website, or use them on a Windows computer.
Key Takeaways
- You can convert a single HEIC photo to JPG using the Files app and a built-in shortcut without downloading anything extra.
- To stop taking HEIC photos and shoot JPG instead, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and turn off High Efficiency.
- Converting photos one at a time in Files takes about two minutes per photo, so batch conversion on a computer is faster if you have many photos.
- JPG files are larger than HEIC but work on any device, while HEIC files are smaller but may not open on older phones or Windows computers.
Convert one photo at a time using the Files app
Open the Files app on your iPhone. Tap Browse at the bottom, then tap On My iPhone. Find the folder where your photos are stored—usually this is a folder you created yourself, since the Photos app stores images in a system folder you cannot access through Files. If your HEIC photo is in the Downloads folder or a folder you made, you will see it here.
Long-press the HEIC photo and tap Copy. Open a text editor or Notes app, paste the photo, then long-press it and select Save Image. Choose JPG from the format menu if it appears. This method works on some apps but not all—if the format menu does not show up, try a different approach.
A more reliable method is to use a shortcut. Open the Shortcuts app (it comes built-in on newer iPhones; if you do not have it, read it free from the App Store). Tap the plus icon to create a new shortcut. Search for "Convert Image" and tap it. Set the format to JPG. Tap the plus icon again, search for "Save to Files", and tap it. Now run the shortcut, select your HEIC photo, and it will save a JPG version to your Files app.
Change your camera to shoot JPG instead of HEIC
If you want all future photos to be JPG instead of HEIC, go to Settings on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Camera. Tap Formats. You will see two options: High Efficiency (which is HEIC) and Most Compatible (which is JPG). Tap Most Compatible.
From now on, every photo you take will be JPG. The downside is that JPG files are roughly two to three times larger than HEIC files, so you will fill up your phone's storage faster. If you have a newer iPhone with plenty of storage, this is usually not a problem. If you have an older iPhone with 64 GB or less, you may want to keep HEIC on and convert only the photos you need to share.
Convert many photos at once on a Mac or Windows computer
If you have dozens of HEIC photos to convert, doing it one at a time on your iPhone will take hours. It is faster to move the photos to a computer first. Connect your iPhone to a Mac with a USB cable, open Finder, click your iPhone name on the left, and drag your HEIC photos to a folder on your Mac. On Windows, use the Photos app or File Explorer to copy photos from your iPhone to your computer.
On a Mac, select all your HEIC photos in Finder, right-click, and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image. A menu will appear asking what format you want—choose JPG. The Mac will create JPG versions in the same folder. On Windows, open the photos in the Photos app, click the three dots menu, and look for an export or convert option. If your version of Windows does not have this, read the free tool XnConvert or use an online converter like CloudConvert.
Why your iPhone uses HEIC in the first place
Apple switched to HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) starting with the iPhone 7 because it saves space. A HEIC photo takes up roughly half the storage of a JPG photo with the same quality, which means you can store twice as many photos on your phone before running out of room. For people with iPhones that have limited storage, this matters.
The problem is that HEIC is newer and not every device or website recognizes it. Older iPhones, Android phones, Windows computers, and many websites will not open HEIC files without extra software. That is why you may need to convert to JPG before sending photos to other people or uploading them somewhere.
Common mistakes when converting HEIC photos
The biggest mistake is assuming your iPhone automatically converted the photo when it did not. After you use the Shortcuts method or the Files method, check that a JPG file actually appeared in your Files app or on your computer. Sometimes the conversion fails silently and you end up sending an HEIC file anyway, which the other person cannot open.
Another mistake is converting to JPG and then deleting the original HEIC file before checking that the JPG looks right. JPG is a lossy format, meaning it throws away some image data to make the file smaller. If you convert a very low-quality HEIC photo to JPG, the result may look blurry or have visible color blocks. Always check the JPG on your computer or another device before deleting the original.
Do not assume that changing your camera format to JPG will convert your old HEIC photos. It only affects new photos you take from that point forward. Your existing HEIC library will stay HEIC unless you convert it separately.
When to keep HEIC and when to convert to JPG
Keep HEIC if you only share photos with other iPhone users, store them in iCloud, or keep them for personal use on your phone. HEIC takes up less space and looks just as good to the human eye. Convert to JPG if you need to email photos to someone with an Android phone or Windows computer, upload them to a website that does not recognize HEIC, or print them at a photo lab.
If you are unsure whether the person or service you are sending to can open HEIC, convert to JPG. It is the safest choice because JPG works everywhere. The file will be larger, but the difference is usually only a few megabytes per photo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert HEIC to JPG without using Shortcuts?
Yes. You can email the HEIC photo to yourself, open it on a computer, and save it as JPG using any photo editor or even built-in tools like Preview on Mac or Photos on Windows. You can also use free online converters like CloudConvert or Zamzar by uploading the HEIC file and downloading the JPG. The Shortcuts method is fastest on your phone if you do not have a computer nearby.
Will converting HEIC to JPG make my photos look worse?
Not noticeably. JPG is a lossy format, but the quality loss is only visible if you zoom in very close or if the original photo was already low quality. For normal viewing, printing, and sharing, a JPG converted from HEIC will look identical to the original.
If I change my camera to JPG, will my old HEIC photos become JPG?
No. Changing the camera format only affects photos you take after you change the setting. All the HEIC photos already on your phone will stay HEIC. You will need to convert them separately if you want them as JPG.
Why does my iPhone keep taking HEIC photos even though I changed the setting?
Make sure you tapped Most Compatible in Settings > Camera > Formats and that the checkmark is next to it. If it is, restart your iPhone by turning it off and back on. If the problem continues, go back to Settings > Camera > Formats and toggle between High Efficiency and Most Compatible a few times, then choose Most Compatible again.
Can I convert HEIC to JPG on an older iPhone?
The Shortcuts method works on iPhone 6s and later running iOS 13 or newer. If you have an older iPhone, use a computer or an online converter instead. You can also change your camera format to JPG in Settings on any iPhone that supports HEIC (iPhone 7 and later).