Quick Answer
To change iPhone to save photos as JPG: go to Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible. This switches the camera from HEIC to JPEG for all future photos. Takes 5 seconds. Existing HEIC photos are not affected. For those, use the HEIC to JPG Converter Chrome extension.
If you regularly share photos with people on Windows, Android, or upload to websites, setting your iPhone to save as JPG (the "Most Compatible" setting) eliminates the HEIC compatibility problem at the source. You'll never need to convert HEIC files again — your phone simply won't create them.
Step-by-Step: Switch iPhone to JPG
- Open the Settings app Tap the grey Settings icon on your iPhone home screen.
- Scroll down and tap Camera Scroll down past the main settings sections until you see "Camera". Tap it.
- Tap Formats Near the top of the Camera settings, you'll see "Formats". Tap it.
- Select "Most Compatible" You'll see two options: "High Efficiency" (currently selected by default) and "Most Compatible". Tap "Most Compatible" to select it. A checkmark appears next to it.
- Done — future photos will be JPG Close Settings. All photos taken from this point forward will be saved as JPEG. The change takes effect immediately.
What "Most Compatible" Actually Does
Switching to Most Compatible affects both photos and video:
| Setting | Photo Format | Video Format | Storage Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Efficiency | HEIC | HEVC (H.265) | Smallest files |
| Most Compatible | JPEG | H.264 | ~50% larger photos, ~40% larger videos |
If storage is a concern but you only need JPEG compatibility for photos (not video), note that video is affected separately. You can't change photo format independently from video format in this settings menu — it's an all-or-nothing choice between the two modes.
The Storage Tradeoff
Switching to Most Compatible means every photo takes about twice as much storage. On an iPhone with limited capacity, this matters:
| Storage | High Efficiency (HEIC) | Most Compatible (JPEG) |
|---|---|---|
| 64 GB iPhone | ~15,000 photos | ~7,500 photos |
| 128 GB iPhone | ~30,000 photos | ~15,000 photos |
| 256 GB iPhone | ~60,000 photos | ~30,000 photos |
| 512 GB iPhone | ~120,000 photos | ~60,000 photos |
Also Change the Transfer Setting
There's a second related setting that controls what format photos use when transferred to a computer — even if you're shooting HEIC:
- Go to Settings → Photos In Settings, scroll down to "Photos" (not Camera — this is a separate section).
- Find "Transfer to Mac or PC" Scroll to the bottom of the Photos settings. You'll see "Transfer to Mac or PC" with two options: Automatic and Keep Originals.
- Select "Automatic" With Automatic selected, photos transferred via USB cable to a Mac or Windows PC are automatically converted to JPG if the destination doesn't support HEIC. This is the smart default.
The "Automatic" transfer setting is independent of the camera format setting. You can shoot in HEIC (keeping storage efficiency on the phone) and still get JPG files automatically when you plug into a computer via USB.
Best of Both Worlds: Shoot HEIC, Convert When Needed
Many users find this approach optimal:
- Keep camera on High Efficiency (HEIC) — maximizes storage on your iPhone
- Set Transfer to Automatic — USB transfers produce JPG automatically
- Use the HEIC to JPG Converter extension for any HEIC files that end up on your computer without auto-conversion
This approach gives you the storage efficiency benefits of HEIC on-device while ensuring your computer always receives JPG files.
Still Have HEIC Files to Convert?
Convert HEIC to JPG instantly in Chrome — no uploads, no account, works on Windows and Mac.
Convert HEIC to JPG FreeWhat About Existing HEIC Photos?
Changing to Most Compatible only affects future photos. Existing HEIC photos on your iPhone remain as HEIC — iOS doesn't batch-convert your library when you change this setting.
To convert existing HEIC photos to JPG:
- Individual photos: Open in Photos app → Share → Save Image → choose JPG if prompted. Or share via AirDrop to a Mac (auto-converts) or email (iOS converts automatically in some cases)
- Batch conversion via computer: Transfer photos to a Mac or Windows PC, then use the HEIC to JPG Converter Chrome extension to convert multiple files at once
- Mac built-in: Select all HEIC files in Finder → Open with Preview → Select all → File → Export Selected Images → JPEG
