HEIC or JPG: what is the difference and how to convert
If you take photos on a modern iPhone, you may have noticed files with the extension HEIC. They look fine on the phone, but a website, an older computer or a form may refuse to open them. Here is what is going on and what to do about it.
What HEIC is
HEIC is a photo format used by default on recent iPhones and iPads. It compresses pictures more efficiently than JPG, so a photo of the same visual quality usually takes up less storage. That is the main reason Apple adopted it.
Why it causes problems
JPG has been around for decades and works everywhere. HEIC is newer, and support is uneven. Many upload forms, older versions of Windows, some photo editors and some email or messaging services do not accept it. The result is an error message, or a picture that simply does not appear.
Two ways to get JPG
- Convert existing photos. Open HEIC to JPG, choose the files and download ordinary JPGs. This is the quickest way when you already have a folder of HEIC pictures.
- Change the camera setting. On an iPhone, open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. New photos will be saved as JPG. They take more space, so this is a trade-off.
When it is better to keep HEIC
If you only view photos on Apple devices and want to save storage, there is no need to change anything. Convert copies only when you need to share or upload them somewhere that does not support HEIC, and keep the original.
A few practical notes
- JPG is a lossy format, so avoid converting the same picture back and forth.
- Photos can carry extra information such as the date and place they were taken. Check your sharing settings before posting them publicly.
- If the photo is for a document, the next step is usually fitting a size limit with Photo size in KB.
The conversion runs in your browser, so your pictures are not uploaded to a server.