What HEIC is
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) has been iPhone's default photo format since iOS 11. It compresses photos noticeably smaller than JPEG at similar visual quality, which is why Apple made it the default: same photo library, less storage used.
Why compatibility becomes a problem
HEIC support isn't universal. Recent Windows versions and recent software generally handle it, but older systems, some web upload forms, and some older editing software still expect JPEG or PNG and simply won't open a HEIC file, or will show it as a generic icon instead of a preview.
When to convert, and to what
Converting to JPEG is the safest choice for maximum compatibility, uploading to an older platform, sending to someone on an unknown setup, printing through a service that expects JPEG. Convert to PNG instead only if you specifically need transparency or lossless quality, which HEIC photos rarely require, since they started as JPEG-equivalent photos, not graphics.
Convert HEIC photos in batches
FlexiPic converts HEIC to JPEG or PNG in batches, so a whole photo folder becomes compatible in one export.
Scan with your iPhone to install FlexiPic
View on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
Can I set my iPhone to save photos as JPEG instead of HEIC?
Yes, in Settings under Camera > Formats, choosing "Most Compatible" saves new photos as JPEG going forward. It doesn't convert photos already saved as HEIC.
Does converting HEIC to JPEG lose quality?
Some, since both are lossy formats and re-encoding always discards a little information, though at a high quality setting the difference is usually not visible.
Why does a HEIC photo show as a gray icon on some computers?
That system doesn't have HEIC support installed or built in, so it can't generate a preview or open the file directly.