Since iOS 11, your iPhone has saved photos as HEIC (High Efficiency Image File) by default. Apple uses this format because it takes about half the space of a JPG at similar quality. The catch: many websites, upload forms, older Windows PCs, and some Android apps can’t open HEIC files. If you’ve ever tried to attach a photo and got an error, that’s why. The fix is simple: either switch your camera to save JPGs going forward, or convert existing HEIC files before sharing. Here’s what you need to know.

Why Your IPhone Uses HEIC by Default

Apple introduced HEIC support with iOS 11. The format is technically HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) with an HEIC extension. Its main advantage is size: an HEIC file stores the same visual quality as a JPG in roughly half the space. That means you can fit more photos on your phone without buying extra storage. Apple devices, iPhones, iPads, and Macs, open HEIC files natively, so you might not notice any issue until you try to share with someone on a different platform.

You control this through Settings > Camera > Formats. There are two options:

  • High Efficiency, saves as HEIC (the default).
  • Most Compatible, saves as JPG.

If you never changed this setting, your iPhone has been capturing HEIC photos since you updated to iOS 11 or later.

When HEIC Causes Problems

HEIC is great for storage, but it’s not universal. Here are the most common trouble spots:

  • Websites and upload forms, many online services (like job portals, insurance claims, or social media) expect JPG or PNG. They may reject HEIC outright or show a blank preview.
  • Windows PCs, older versions of Windows can’t open HEIC without installing additional codecs. Even Windows 10 and 11 require a paid plug-in from Microsoft to view HEIC natively.
  • Android devices, some Android apps and galleries don’t support HEIC. Transferring an HEIC photo to an Android phone often results in a file that can’t be displayed.
  • Email and messaging, apps like iMessage or WhatsApp sometimes convert HEIC to JPG automatically when you share through their interface. But if you copy a file from your phone and attach it directly (for example, in a desktop webmail), it usually stays HEIC, causing issues for the recipient.

In short, any time you send the raw file outside Apple’s ecosystem, you risk compatibility problems.

Option 1: Switch Your Camera to JPG for Future Photos

If you don’t need the space savings of HEIC, the easiest fix is to change your iPhone camera format to JPG. That way, every new photo is ready for anything.

How to Change the Setting

Open Settings on your iPhone, tap Camera, then tap Formats. Select Most Compatible. From now on, your camera will save photos as JPG. This doesn’t affect any HEIC photos you already have, they stay as they are.

One trade-off: JPG files are roughly twice as large as HEIC at the same quality. If you take a lot of photos, you’ll fill up your phone’s storage faster. But for most people, the convenience of universal compatibility is worth the extra space.

Option 2: Convert Existing HEIC Photos to JPG Before Sharing

For HEIC photos you already have, you need to convert them to JPG before sending or uploading. There are several ways to do this, but the most practical method is using a simple online tool.

Using a Free Online Converter

A quick and free way to handle this is an online HEIC converter like heic.now. It runs in your browser, needs no sign-up, and handles the conversion on the server. You upload your HEIC file, pick JPG as the output, and download the result. It also supports converting to PNG, PDF, WebP, AVIF, GIF, and TIFF, and can even convert JPG, PNG, or WebP back to HEIC. Plus, it has an image info/EXIF viewer if you need to check metadata.

This approach is best for occasional use, say, a few photos for a job application or a family group chat. If you convert hundreds of photos regularly, you might prefer a desktop app, but that’s beyond the scope of this post.

Other Built-In Methods (Mac and iPhone)

If you have a Mac, you can open an HEIC file in Apple Photos and export it as JPG (File > Export > Export as JPEG). On an iPhone, you can also share a photo through an app like iMessage or WhatsApp, which often converts it to JPG in transit, but that only works for that specific share, not for a file you want to save or upload elsewhere.

A Quick Comparison: HEIC vs JPG

Here are the key differences at a glance:

  • File size, HEIC is about half the size of JPG at the same quality.
  • Compatibility, JPG works everywhere; HEIC works natively only on Apple devices and a few newer platforms.
  • Quality, Both can produce visually identical results at standard settings.
  • Editing flexibility, HEIC supports advanced features like multiple images in one file (for burst shots) and deep color depth, but most casual users won’t notice the difference.

For everyday sharing, JPG remains the safest choice. For archiving on your own Apple devices, HEIC saves storage.

Which Option Should You Choose?

It depends on your habits. If you regularly share photos with non-Apple users or upload them to websites, switch your camera to Most Compatible and forget about it. You’ll lose some storage efficiency, but you’ll never deal with rejected uploads again.

If you prefer the space savings of HEIC and only share occasionally, keep your camera on High Efficiency and convert only the photos you need to send. A free online converter like the one mentioned above works fine for that.

Either way, you now know why your iPhone uses HEIC and how to handle it. No more “this file type isn’t supported” messages.