You send a photo from your iPhone and the other person cannot open it, or a website refuses to upload it. The reason is almost always the file format: HEIC.
What is HEIC?
HEIC (also called HEIF) is the format iPhones use by default. It stores the same picture in about half the space of a JPG, which is great for your phone storage. The problem is compatibility: many websites, forms, older apps and some Windows or Android devices cannot open it.
The fastest fix: convert in your browser
- Open the HEIC to JPG converter.
- Add one or many HEIC photos.
- Choose JPG (smaller, works everywhere) or PNG (lossless).
- Press Convert and download. Several photos come as a ZIP.
Nothing is uploaded: the conversion happens on your device, so private photos stay private.
Stop the iPhone from using HEIC
If you want every new photo to be a JPG, go to Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible. Photos are then saved as JPG, at the cost of larger files.
Which format should I pick?
- JPG: best for sharing and for forms. At about 90% quality it looks identical for everyday use.
- PNG: only if you need a lossless copy. The files are much larger.
After converting
Forms often have a file-size limit as well. If your JPG is too big, shrink it with the image to KB tool. To share many photos together, see compress image.
Troubleshooting
- The converter says it is not a valid HEIC. The photo may already be a JPG with the wrong extension. Try opening it normally first.
- Colours look slightly different. Some HEIC photos use a wider colour range. JPG converts it to the standard range, which most screens show correctly.