(Credit: RaShawn Dixon; Pheelings media/Shutterstock)
Introduced in 2017 with the release of iOS 11, High Efficiency Image Coding (HEIC) is a file format that provides better image compression without compromising quality. This means you can store more photos in the same amount of space, which is great for those with smaller-capacity iPhones.
Unfortunately, the HEIC format isn't universally supported across all devices and applications. This can lead to compatibility problems, resulting in the need to convert photos from HEIC to the more widely accepted JPG/JPEG format. There are third-party tools that can do this, but I recommend using Apple's Shortcuts app to automate the process. This way, I can seamlessly share, edit, and view my photos across multiple platforms and devices, right from my iPhone.
How to Set Up a Shortcut to Convert File Types
To automatically convert photos from HEIC to JPEG, you'll need the Shortcuts app. It should come preinstalled on your iPhone, but you can also grab it from the App Store. In the app, you'll need to hunt for multiple actions in order to build the shortcut from scratch. To do this, I tapped the plus (+) button in the upper-right corner, searched for "select photos", and then tapped Select Photos. I recommend also enabling Select Multiple, so you can convert photos in bulk.
Then, I searched for "convert image" and selected the Convert Image action, adding it to my shortcut. By default, the conversion should be set to JPEG. If it's not, tap HEIF next to Convert and select JPEG. I then searched for "save to photo album" and selected Save to Photo Album to add the action. From there, I picked the album where I wanted the converted photos to be saved. You can create a new album for JPEGs or select an existing one, then tap Done.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)To name your shortcut, long-press on it, then tap Rename, and type in a new one. For example, I used “Convert to JPEG.” If you want to save this shortcut to your home screen, tap Details > Add to Home Screen. From here, you can also customize your shortcut's icon. Tap Add to send the shortcut to your phone's Home screen.
Now, whenever I need to convert HEIC photos to JPEG, I just open the Shortcuts app and tap my Convert HEIC to JPEG shortcut. You can also tap the shortcut icon on your home screen, if you added it there. I select the photos I want converted, and the shortcut will handle it for me, saving the JPEG images to the specified album in my Photos app.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)How to Auto-Convert When Uploading to Mac
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)If you use macOS, it’s also possible to have your photos automatically convert to JPEG when you transfer them from your phone to a Mac. On your phone, go to Settings > Photos and tap the Automatic option under Transfer to Mac or PC. Then, when you transfer photos to your computer, they will automatically be moved as JPEGs.