You can tell an iPhone to capture photos in the widely compatible JPG format. It takes ten seconds, and it is worth knowing both the setting and its cost.
Take new photos as JPG
- Open Settings and tap Camera.
- Tap Formats.
- Under Camera Capture, choose Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency.
New photos are now saved as JPG. Photos you already took stay as HEIC. Most Compatible also records video as H.264 rather than HEVC, so video files get larger too.
Keep HEIC but convert when you copy to a PC
If you want the storage savings on the phone but trouble-free files on Windows:
- Open Settings, then Photos.
- Scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC.
- Choose Automatic. When you connect to a computer that cannot use HEIC, iOS converts photos to JPG as they transfer. Keep Originals copies the HEIC files untouched.
What you give up
- Storage. JPG photos are usually larger than HEIC at similar quality, so the same photos use more space on the phone and in iCloud.
- Newer capture features. Some camera modes depend on the High Efficiency format, so they may be unavailable while Most Compatible is selected.
Already have a pile of HEIC photos?
Switching the setting does not touch old photos. Convert them in bulk with the HEIC to JPG converter, or follow the guide to converting on iPhone and Mac without any website.