HEIC vs JPG - what's the difference and which should you use?
iPhones save photos as HEIC to save space, but many websites, forms and Windows PCs can't open them. Here's what HEIC is, when it causes trouble, and three ways to get JPG instead.
Updated 4 October 2026 · Image tools
The short answer
- HEIC is a modern format that stores photos at roughly half the size of JPG at similar quality. iPhones use it by default.
- JPG is the old universal format. Everything can open it: every website, form, printer, phone and computer.
Keep HEIC on your phone to save space. Convert to JPG when you share or upload.
Side by side
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | About half | Baseline |
| Quality | Slightly better at the same size | Very good |
| Works on websites and forms | Often rejected | Always |
| Opens on Windows | Needs an extra codec | Yes |
| Opens on Android | Most recent phones | Yes |
| Transparency, depth, Live Photos | Supported | No |
Where HEIC causes trouble
- Online application forms for exams, jobs and government services usually accept only JPG or PNG.
- Windows PCs show HEIC files as unknown until you install a codec.
- Print shops and photo labs often can’t process HEIC.
- Older Android phones and some apps display HEIC as a file attachment instead of a picture.
Three ways to get JPG
1. Convert the photos you have
Open HEIC to JPG, add your photos (many at once is fine) and download JPGs. Conversion happens in your browser, so personal photos are never uploaded.
2. Make your iPhone shoot JPG
On the iPhone: Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG. They’ll take more space on your phone.
3. Let the iPhone convert when transferring
Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic. Photos copied to a computer over a cable are converted to JPG automatically.
After converting
If a form also has a size limit, run the JPG through Compress image to KB. To submit several photos as one document, combine them with JPG to PDF.