August 24, 2026 · 5 min read
HEIC vs JPG: Which Should You Use? (And When to Convert)
HEIC saves space, JPG works everywhere. Here's a straight comparison of the two formats, and exactly when you should convert your iPhone photos to JPG.
If your iPhone photos are saving as HEIC and you're wondering whether that's good or annoying, the answer is both. HEIC gives you better quality per megabyte; JPG gives you compatibility with basically everything. Here's how they compare and when converting makes sense.
HEIC vs JPG at a glance
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Roughly half of JPG at similar quality | Larger |
| Image quality | Better at the same file size | Good, but less efficient |
| Compatibility | Limited — many sites and older apps reject it | Universal |
| Transparency | Supported | Not supported |
| Best for | Storing photos on your phone | Sharing, uploading, printing |
When to keep HEIC
Leave it as HEIC when the photo is just living on your iPhone or in iCloud. You get the same quality in about half the storage, which adds up quickly across thousands of photos. Apple devices handle it natively, so nothing feels different day to day.
When to convert to JPG
- An upload form rejects your file or the site says the format isn't supported.
- You're sending photos to someone on Windows or Android who can't open them.
- You're printing, or submitting to a service that specifies JPEG.
- You're attaching to a job application, listing, or form where you can't risk the recipient being unable to open it.
How to convert (free, nothing uploaded)
Drop the HEIC into Skrubly's Metadata Cleaner and it comes out as a universally-compatible JPG. Because the conversion re-encodes the image, the hidden metadata — including the GPS coordinates of where you took the photo — is stripped at the same time. It all happens in your browser, so the photo is never uploaded to a server.
Convert HEIC to JPG now — free and private.
Open the toolDoes converting lose quality?
Technically yes — JPG is lossy, so a conversion re-compresses the image. At high quality settings the difference is invisible for normal photos. Keep the HEIC original if you want a pristine master, and use the JPG copy for sharing and uploads.