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How to Convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone — 4 Free Methods

By Picovert Team2026-02-194 min read

iPhones shoot in HEIC format by default since iOS 11. HEIC produces sharp photos at half the file size of JPG — great for storage, but a problem when you need to share photos with Android users, upload to websites, or send to anyone not on Apple. Here are four ways to convert HEIC to JPG directly on your iPhone, without needing a Mac or PC.

Method 1: Change iPhone Camera Settings to Shoot JPG

The simplest fix is to stop shooting HEIC and switch to JPG for all future photos:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down to Camera.
  3. Tap Formats.
  4. Select Most Compatible instead of "High Efficiency."

"Most Compatible" saves all photos as JPG and all videos as H.264. Your photos will be slightly larger (roughly 2× the file size) but universally compatible. This doesn't convert existing HEIC files — only new photos going forward.

Method 2: Share as JPG Using iPhone's Built-In Conversion

iOS automatically converts HEIC to JPG when you share photos to non-Apple apps or via email and Messages — but only if the recipient isn't on Apple:

  1. Open the Photos app.
  2. Select the HEIC photo you want to convert.
  3. Tap the Share button (square with arrow).
  4. Send via Mail, Messages (to non-iMessage recipients), or save using Files.

When you AirDrop to an Android or save to Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox through the share sheet, iOS automatically sends the HEIC file as-is. For reliable JPG conversion, use the method below.

Method 3: Convert HEIC to JPG Using the Files App

The Files app on iOS can convert HEIC to JPG without any extra apps:

  1. Open the Photos app and select your HEIC photo.
  2. Tap Share → Save to Files. Save it to "On My iPhone."
  3. Open the Files app and find the saved photo.
  4. Long-press the file → tap Quick Look. Then tap the Share button and choose Save Image — this saves a JPG copy to your Photos library.

This works on iOS 13+. The converted file lands in your Photos app as a JPG.

Method 4: Convert HEIC to JPG Free in Your Browser

For bulk conversion or when you need a specific JPG file on your iPhone:

  1. Open Safari on your iPhone and go to Picovert's HEIC to JPG converter.
  2. Tap Choose File and select your HEIC photos from the Photos library.
  3. The conversion runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server.
  4. Tap Download to save the JPG to your Files app or Photos library.

This method works for multiple files at once and produces JPGs you can immediately share or upload anywhere.

Which Method Should You Use?

  • For all future photos: Change camera to "Most Compatible" (Method 1). This is the easiest long-term solution.
  • For existing photos, one at a time: Use the Files app method (Method 3).
  • For bulk conversion: Use the browser-based converter (Method 4). Drop multiple HEIC files at once and download them all as JPG.
  • For sharing quickly: Use the Share sheet (Method 2). iOS handles the conversion automatically when sharing via email or to non-Apple contacts.

Does Converting HEIC to JPG Lose Quality?

HEIC uses more efficient compression than JPG, so converting to JPG at 85–90% quality produces a file that looks nearly identical but is slightly larger. At 100% quality, the JPG is virtually lossless but much larger (~3× the HEIC file size).

Converting from HEIC to JPG does not make photos look noticeably worse when you use high-quality settings. The difference is technical, not visual.

Why Does My iPhone Use HEIC?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) was introduced in iOS 11 to save storage space without reducing photo quality. A typical iPhone photo in HEIC is 3–4 MB; the same photo in JPG is 6–8 MB. Over thousands of photos, this saves gigabytes of storage. Apple also uses HEIC for Live Photos (motion + still combined in one file).

The downside: most non-Apple devices and many apps don't support HEIC without extra codecs. Converting to JPG removes this friction.