iPhones save photos as HEIC and screenshots as PNG, but many websites, forms and Windows apps want JPG. This guide covers every practical way to get JPG files from an iPhone, starting with the ones that need no tools at all.
Why your iPhone photos aren’t JPG
Since iOS 11 in 2017, the Camera has saved photos in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) when the format is set to High Efficiency, which is the default. HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPG at similar quality. Screenshots are saved as PNG, a lossless format that keeps text sharp.
Both are fine on Apple devices. The trouble starts when you upload them to a form, send them to a Windows PC, or use them in an app that only accepts JPG.
JPG or JPEG?
They are the same format. .jpg and .jpeg are two spellings of one extension, so there is nothing to convert between them. If a website asks for JPEG, a .jpg file is exactly right.
1. Make the camera save JPG from now on
- Open Settings and tap Camera.
- Tap Formats.
- Choose Most Compatible.
New photos are then saved as JPG, and new videos as H.264 instead of HEVC. Files take more space, roughly double for photos. Some high-end video modes, such as 4K at 60 frames per second, need High Efficiency, so they may become unavailable. Photos you have already taken stay HEIC.
2. Get JPG automatically when copying to a computer
- Open Settings and tap Photos (on older iOS versions it is under Settings › Photos & Camera).
- Scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC.
- Choose Automatic.
When you import photos over a USB cable, the iPhone converts them to JPG for the computer. Keep Originals sends HEIC instead. This setting doesn’t affect cloud services such as iCloud, Google Photos or OneDrive, which may still deliver HEIC.
3. Let sharing convert for you
When you share a photo by Mail, Messages to non-Apple phones, or to many apps, iOS usually sends a JPG automatically because the receiving side may not support HEIC. This is convenient but not guaranteed. Some apps and cloud uploads receive the original HEIC.
4. Convert with the Shortcuts app
The built-in Shortcuts app has a Convert Image action that can turn photos into JPEG:
- Open Shortcuts and create a new shortcut.
- Add Select Photos, then Convert Image and set the format to JPEG.
- Add Save to Photo Album or Save File.
Run it whenever you need JPG copies. It suits people who convert often and are comfortable building a shortcut.
5. Convert in Safari, without installing an app
xconverter’s converters run inside the browser, so they work on an iPhone with nothing to install, and the photos never leave the phone.
- HEIC photos to JPG: open the HEIC to JPG converter in Safari, tap the box, choose Photo Library or Browse, and select your photos. Each one gets a Download button.
- PNG screenshots to JPG: use the PNG to JPG converter the same way.
- Need a file under a size limit, such as 100 KB for a form? Use compress image to a specific size. It outputs JPG.
Getting the original HEIC from Photos
When you pick photos from the Photo Library in Safari, iOS may already convert them to JPG for the web page. That is fine if JPG is all you want. If you need the original HEIC file, for example to keep full quality, save it to the Files app first (Share › Save to Files), then choose it with Browse.
What changes when you convert
- Location and camera details (EXIF data) are removed by xconverter, which makes the JPGs safer to share publicly.
- HDR photos are converted to standard range, so very bright highlights may look a little flatter.
- Live Photos become a still JPG. The short video part is a separate file and isn’t included.
- File size usually grows, because JPG compresses less efficiently than HEIC.
Which method should you use?
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| You always need JPG | Change the camera format to Most Compatible |
| You copy photos to a Windows PC by cable | Set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic |
| You need a few JPGs right now | Convert in Safari |
| A form has a file size limit | Compress image to a specific size |
| You convert batches regularly | A Shortcuts shortcut, or the Safari converter, which takes many files at once |