You take a photo on an iPhone, try to upload it to a website, and get an error such as "unsupported file type". The file ends in .heic, and the site only accepts .jpg or .png. This guide explains what HEIC is and the easiest ways to turn it into a JPEG.

What HEIC is

HEIC is the file extension Apple uses for photos stored in the HEIF image format with HEVC compression. Apple began saving photos this way by default with iOS 11. The advantage is smaller files at similar visual quality, which saves storage on the phone.

The drawback is compatibility. Safari, macOS, and iOS read HEIC natively, but many websites, older software, and some browsers do not. JPEG, by contrast, is accepted almost everywhere, which is why application forms and image uploaders ask for it.

Option 1: Stop shooting in HEIC

If you do not need the smaller files, switch your iPhone to JPEG capture.

  1. Open Settings, then Camera, then Formats.
  2. Choose Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency.

New photos are then saved as JPEG. Photos you already took stay HEIC, so the next options still apply to them.

Option 2: Let the iPhone convert when you transfer

When photos are copied to a Mac or PC, iOS can convert them on the way.

  1. Open Settings, then Photos.
  2. At the bottom, under Transfer to Mac or PC, choose Automatic.

With Automatic, the iPhone converts HEIC to a compatible format when needed. If you choose Keep Originals, the HEIC files are copied unchanged.

Many apps and websites that ask for a photo through the iPhone's own picker also receive a converted JPEG automatically, which is why an upload from the phone sometimes works when the same file from a computer does not.

Option 3: Export a JPEG on a Mac

  1. Open the photo in Preview.
  2. Choose File, then Export.
  3. Set Format to JPEG, adjust Quality if you want a smaller file, and save.

To convert many photos, select them in Preview's sidebar and export them together, or export from the Photos app using File, Export, and choosing JPEG.

Option 4: Windows

Windows can open HEIC when the HEIF and HEVC codec extensions from the Microsoft Store are installed. Once the photo opens in the Photos app, you can save or export a copy as JPEG. Without the extensions, Windows may show a blank thumbnail or an error, and using an online converter is easier.

Option 5: Convert in your browser

The QuickToolsBox Compress Image to Size tool accepts HEIC files directly. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox cannot display HEIC on their own, so the tool first converts the photo to JPEG inside your browser, then compresses it to the size you choose. Safari reads HEIC natively, so no conversion step is needed there.

The photo is processed on your device and is not uploaded to any server. The first conversion can take a few seconds because the converter has to load, and large photos take longer.

What you keep and what you lose

  • Quality. JPEG is a lossy format, so converting is not perfectly lossless, but at a high quality setting the difference is very hard to see.
  • File size. A JPEG made from a HEIC is usually larger than the original HEIC, which is the reverse of what many people expect. If a form has a size limit, compress it afterwards. See How to compress an image to a specific file size.
  • Live Photos. A Live Photo has a still image and a short video. A conversion produces only the still image.
  • Metadata. Some converters keep camera data and location in the file, and some remove it. If you are sharing a photo publicly and do not want the location included, check the result or remove location details when sharing from the Photos app.
  • Orientation. Modern converters keep the correct rotation. If a result appears sideways, rotate the original and convert again.

Common problems

  • The converter says the file is damaged. Some HEIC files use features that not every converter supports, such as certain edited or depth-map photos. Export the photo as JPEG from the Photos app on the iPhone or Mac instead.
  • The upload still fails after converting. Check that the file extension is .jpg or .jpeg and that you did not just rename a .heic file. Renaming does not change the format inside.
  • The converted file is too large. Reduce the size with a compression tool and choose a target the form allows.