Reviewed 2026-10-20 by the Spool editorial team · How we test
Why your iPhone photos are HEIC
Since iOS 11, iPhones save photos as HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) by default. HEIC stores the picture with the same compression technology as HEVC video, which makes files roughly half the size of a JPG at the same visual quality. It also supports 10-bit colour and HDR. The catch is compatibility: many Windows apps, older Android phones, upload forms, printing kiosks and websites still only accept JPG.
How the conversion works here
Convert and edit files on your device. The browser edition accepts up to 100 MB total, media up to 10 minutes and video up to 4K. Codec availability and device memory can limit individual jobs.
- Decode the primary image at full resolution (12, 24 or 48 megapixels on recent iPhones).
- Apply the orientation the camera recorded, so portrait photos stay upright in every app.
- Encode a progressive, optimised JPG at the quality you set: 88% by default, adjustable from 30 to 100. At 90% and above we keep full colour resolution (4:4:4 chroma), which helps with sharp red and blue edges.
- Remove EXIF metadata, including GPS location, camera serial data and timestamps. This is deliberate: photos you share shouldn't reveal where you live.
Convert and edit files on your device. The browser edition accepts up to 100 MB total, media up to 10 minutes and video up to 4K. Codec availability and device memory can limit individual jobs.
Which quality to choose
| Quality | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 95–100% | Printing, editing, archiving. Files can be several times the HEIC size. |
| 85–92% (default 88) | Sharing, uploading, email. No visible difference on screens. |
| 70–80% | Web pages and forms with size limits. |
| Under 70% | Thumbnails only; artefacts start to show in skies and skin. |
Expect the JPG to be larger than the original HEIC, often around double at default quality. That's the cost of JPG's older compression, not a sign that anything went wrong. If you need small files, compress the JPG afterwards, or convert to WebP instead.
HDR, Live Photos and Portrait mode
- HDR photos: recent iPhones store extra brightness information (a gain map) next to the image. JPG output is standard 8-bit, so the result looks like the normal, non-HDR version of the photo.
- Live Photos: a Live Photo is a HEIC still plus a short MOV clip. We convert the still. To keep the motion, export the clip and use MOV to MP4 or MOV to GIF.
- Portrait mode: the depth map isn't carried into the JPG; you get the photo as it appears in your library, with the blur applied.
Stop the iPhone from making HEIC (or convert automatically)
- Shoot JPG from now on: Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible. Files get bigger, but no conversion is ever needed.
- Convert when copying to a computer: Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic. The iPhone then sends JPGs when you import over USB.
- Sharing from the Photos app by Mail or to many apps also converts to JPG automatically. AirDrop to a Mac keeps HEIC.
Other ways to open HEIC
Windows 10 and 11: install the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store to view HEIC in Photos and File Explorer. Mac: Preview opens HEIC; use File → Export and pick JPEG to convert a single photo. Android: Android 10 and later can usually display HEIC, but many apps can't upload it. Converting is simplest when you need a file that works everywhere. For the full walk-through on each platform, read How to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, Mac, iPhone and online.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| "We couldn't read this image" | The file may be damaged or not really HEIC. Try exporting it again from Photos. |
| Picked from Photos but got a JPG already | iOS sometimes converts automatically when you choose a photo in Safari. If you got a JPG, you're done. |
| Photo appears rotated | We apply the camera orientation; if it's still wrong, the original was saved sideways. Rotate in any viewer before converting. |
| Need a PDF, not JPGs | Use HEIC to PDF to combine photos into one document. |
| Need transparency or lossless | Use HEIC to PNG. |