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HEIC, JPG and PNG Explained: How to Convert iPhone Photos for Uploads

Updated 17 October 2026 · Free, private, works in your browser

You take a photo on an iPhone, try to upload it to a job portal or visa form, and get "unsupported file type". The reason is usually HEIC, the format iPhones use by default. This guide explains the differences between HEIC, JPG, PNG and WebP, and the easiest ways to convert between them.

The four formats in plain English

• HEIC (HEIF): Apple's default since iOS 11. Excellent quality at about half the size of JPG, but many websites, Windows apps and older systems cannot open it.
• JPG / JPEG: the universal photo format. Every website, printer and form accepts it. Uses lossy compression, which is ideal for photos.
• PNG: lossless and supports transparency. Best for screenshots, logos, graphics and signatures with transparent backgrounds. Large for photos.
• WebP: a modern web format, smaller than JPG at similar quality. Widely supported in browsers but not always by upload forms.

The simplest fix: stop iPhone saving HEIC

Go to Settings › Camera › Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos will be saved as JPG. This does not convert existing photos, but it prevents the problem from coming back.

Converting existing HEIC photos on iPhone

1. Files app trick: open Photos, select the photos, tap Share › Save to Files. On many iOS versions this saves them as JPG automatically if Settings › Photos › Transfer to Mac or PC is set to Automatic.
2. Copy and paste: copy a photo in Photos and paste it into a folder in the Files app; it is usually pasted as JPG.
3. Uploading through Safari: when you pick a photo in many websites' file pickers, iOS converts HEIC to JPG on the fly. If a site still rejects it, use one of the methods above.

On a Mac

Open the photo in Preview, choose File › Export, pick JPEG or PNG and save. You can select multiple photos in Preview and export them all at once.

On Windows

Windows 10 and 11 can open HEIC after installing the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store (and HEVC extensions for some files). Then open the photo in the Photos app and use Save as to choose JPG. Alternatively, email the photo to yourself from your iPhone; Mail usually sends it as JPG.

Converting between JPG, PNG and WebP

Once you have a JPG, PNG or WebP, the Crop Desk Image Format Converter switches between them in bulk, right in your browser. When converting a transparent PNG to JPG, you can choose the background colour (usually white) so transparent areas do not turn black. Nothing is uploaded, which matters for ID photos and documents.

Note that most desktop browsers cannot decode HEIC directly, so browser-based converters, including ours, need the photo in JPG, PNG or WebP first. Use one of the device methods above for that first step.

Which format should you choose?

• Online forms, visa and passport photos: JPG, unless the form says otherwise.
• Signatures to place on documents: transparent PNG.
• Screenshots with text: PNG keeps text crisp.
• Your own website: WebP for smaller pages, with JPG as a fallback.

Will converting reduce quality?

HEIC to JPG at high quality looks identical for practical purposes. JPG to PNG does not improve quality; it only makes the file larger. Repeatedly re-saving a JPG at low quality does gradually degrade it, so convert from the original whenever possible.

After converting

If the form also has a size limit, follow our guide to resize a photo to 50 KB or 100 KB. For passport photos, see the US 2 × 2 inch guide.

Further reading: JPG vs PNG for online forms.

Frequently asked questions