How to make an iPhone take JPG photos instead of HEIC

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-make-an-iphone-take-jpg-photos-instead-of-heic/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e · iOS 27.0.1

6 of 6 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

iPhone

Shown on

iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible

Real screenshots

6 of 6 steps

What we did

Performed: we made the change on our device and show the result

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Settings and tap Camera

   On iOS 26 and later, Camera is in the main list of Settings.

   Done

2. 

   Tap Formats

   It is near the top of the Camera page, below Record Sound.

   Done

3. 

   Choose Most Compatible

   High Efficiency means HEIF photos and HEVC video. Most Compatible means JPEG and H.264, which open everywhere. The note on our page says that 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps and HDR video require High Efficiency. The picture shows the tick on Most Compatible after we tapped it.

   Done

4. 

   Know what you give up

   JPEG files are larger, so the storage fills faster. Some video modes need High Efficiency and are not offered in Most Compatible. On ours, Record Slo-mo was at 1080p at 240 fps. After we chose Most Compatible it read 720p at 240 fps, and it went back to 1080p by itself when we switched back to High Efficiency.

   Done

5. 

   Or convert during the transfer by cable

   Open Settings, Apps, Photos, scroll down and tap Transfer to Mac or PC. It is the last row under App Settings.

   Done

6. 

   Choose Automatic or Keep Originals

   Automatic converts photos to a compatible format when you import them on a Mac or PC. Keep Originals hands over the HEIC files unchanged. Ours was on Automatic.

   Done

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.

HEIC to JPG: Already have HEIC photos? Convert them to JPG in your browser. The photos stay on your device.

If you do not see this option

• There is no Formats row. Apple says Most Compatible is offered only on devices that can capture HEIF, which for iPhone means iPhone 7 or later. Source: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices
• Your iPhone runs iOS 17 or earlier. Photos is in the main Settings list itself, not under Apps.

If this does not work

• Older photos are still HEIC. The setting only changes new photos and videos. Export older ones as JPEG, or use the converter linked below the steps. Source: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices
• The PC still gets HEIC files. Check that Transfer to Mac or PC is set to Automatic, not Keep Originals. Source: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices
• A video mode is missing. With Most Compatible, 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps and HDR video are not offered, as the note on the Formats page says. On ours, Record Slo-mo dropped to 720p at 240 fps. Switch back to High Efficiency to use them.

About this guide

HEIC (Apple calls the format HEIF) gives the same picture quality in about half the space of a JPEG. The price is that some Windows programs, websites and older devices cannot open it. You can switch the camera, or leave it and convert only when needed.

Menu names are from recent versions of iOS. Where iOS 27 differs from iOS 26, both are given. The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 17e running iOS 27.0.1, in dark mode.

Good to know

Switching to Most Compatible changes nothing in pictures taken earlier. To convert those, open them on a Mac in Preview or Photos and choose File, Export, then JPEG, or use our free HEIC to JPG converter, which works in the browser without uploading the pictures.

With High Efficiency left on, the iPhone often converts by itself: when you share by Mail, Messages or AirDrop to a device that cannot read the newer formats, the picture may be sent as JPEG.

Windows 11 opens HEIC after the free HEIF Image Extensions are installed from the Microsoft Store.

How to copy the pictures over: how to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac or Windows PC.

In short: Settings, Camera, Formats, Most Compatible. Or keep HEIC and let the iPhone convert when sharing or importing, or export as JPEG later.