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    Compressnfly Team

    HEIC vs JPG: Why Your iPhone Photos Won't Open (and 4 Ways to Fix It)

    You send photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC, or try to upload one to a job portal, and get an error, a blank thumbnail or a file called IMG_2927.HEIC that nothing will open. The photo is fine. It's just saved in a format a lot of software still doesn't understand.

    Here's what HEIC is, why your iPhone uses it, what happens when you convert it (we tested real iPhone photos), and four ways to stop it being a problem.

    The short answer

    • HEIC is Apple's default photo format. It's about half the size of JPG for the same quality.
    • Many websites, Windows PCs and apps still can't open it, so you need JPG for sharing and uploading.
    • Converting to JPG makes the file bigger (about 1.7× in our test), but it then works everywhere.

    What is HEIC?

    HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is a photo format built on the same compression technology as modern HEVC video. Apple made it the default camera format in iOS 11, and every iPhone since the iPhone 7 saves photos as HEIC unless you change a setting. In iPhone settings it's called High Efficiency.

    The reason is storage. A HEIC photo looks the same as a JPG at roughly half the file size, which on a phone with thousands of photos adds up to many gigabytes. HEIC also supports things JPG can't, like 16-bit color and storing several images in one file, which is how Live Photos and burst shots work.

    Where HEIC causes problems

    • Windows PCs. Windows can't show HEIC photos out of the box on many computers. You need Microsoft's free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store, and some PCs also need the HEVC Video Extensions.
    • Websites and upload forms. Most forms accept JPG and PNG only. Chrome, Edge and Firefox can't display HEIC images, so even sites that accept the upload often can't show a preview.
    • Older Android phones and apps, printing kiosks and some photo editors.
    • Email to non-Apple users. The recipient gets an attachment they can't open.

    Apple devices handle HEIC natively, so the problem only appears once the photo leaves the Apple world, which is exactly when you're trying to send it somewhere.

    Our test: converting real iPhone photos

    We converted two real iPhone HEIC photos, both 12 megapixels, with Compressnfly's HEIC to JPG and HEIC to PNG converters in Chrome on an ordinary laptop:

    PhotoHEIC→ JPG→ PNG
    Photo 1 (3024×4032)704 KB1.14 MB (1.7×)8.66 MB (12.6×)
    Photo 2 (4032×3024)1.43 MB2.38 MB (1.7×)14.14 MB (9.9×)

    Each JPG conversion took about 3–4 seconds, and the full resolution was kept. Three takeaways:

    1. The JPG is bigger, and that's expected. JPG is an older, less efficient format, so it needs more bytes to hold the same picture. Our converter saves JPGs at high quality (92%) so nothing visible is lost.
    2. Don't convert photos to PNG unless something specifically asks for PNG. PNG is lossless, so a photo becomes enormous: 14 MB for one picture.
    3. If you need a small file, convert first, then compress. A 2.38 MB JPG can go straight into the 100 KB compressor or whatever size your form needs.

    4 ways to deal with HEIC

    1. Convert the photos you need to share

    The quickest fix when you have a few photos to send right now. Open the HEIC to JPG converter, drop in your photos (several at once is fine), and download the JPGs one by one or as a ZIP. The conversion runs in your browser, so private photos aren't uploaded anywhere. This keeps the space-saving HEIC originals on your phone.

    2. Make your iPhone shoot JPG

    Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG from then on. Existing photos stay HEIC. The cost is storage: expect new photos to take up roughly twice the space.

    3. Let the iPhone convert when you copy to a computer

    Go to Settings → Photos, scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC, and choose Automatic. When you copy photos to a computer over a cable, the iPhone converts them to a compatible format on the way. Your phone keeps shooting space-saving HEIC.

    4. Teach Windows to open HEIC

    Install HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store. The Photos app can then open HEIC files and File Explorer shows thumbnails. It doesn't help when a website rejects the file, though; for uploads you still need a JPG.

    Which should you use?

    • Keep HEIC if you mostly stay within Apple devices and care about phone storage.
    • Switch to Most Compatible if you constantly send photos to Windows users or upload them to websites.
    • Convert as needed if you share occasionally. You keep the storage savings and fix the problem only when it comes up.

    FAQ

    Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

    Technically, yes, a little, because JPG is lossy. At 92% quality the difference isn't visible in normal viewing. The photo also loses HEIC-only extras like the motion part of a Live Photo.

    Why is the JPG bigger than the HEIC?

    HEIC compresses about twice as efficiently. In our test, JPGs came out 1.7× the size of the HEIC originals at the same resolution.

    Can I convert HEIC to a specific size, like 50 KB?

    Do it in two steps: convert to JPG, then use the 50 KB compressor. Our guide to photos for online forms shows what each size looks like.

    Are my photos uploaded during conversion?

    No. Everything happens in your browser, and the photos stay on your device.