What HEIC is
iPhones save photos in a format called HEIF, with the file extension .heic. It stores the same picture in a smaller file than JPG. Apple devices open HEIC without any trouble, but many upload forms, older Windows PCs and some apps only accept JPG or PNG. That's when you see "file type not supported".
Renaming the file from .heic to .jpg doesn't help. The picture inside is still HEIC, and most forms will reject it or fail to open it.
Fix 1: convert the photos you already have
- Get the .heic files onto the device you're uploading from, for example by emailing them to yourself or copying them over USB.
- Open HEIC to JPG and choose the files. You can pick several at once.
- Download the JPGs. Several photos download together as a ZIP.
The converted copies don't include location or camera details. If the form also has a size limit, Compress image to a size accepts HEIC files directly and saves a JPG under your limit in one step.
Fix 2: make the iPhone take JPG photos
From Apple's support page: open Settings, tap Camera, tap Formats, then tap Most Compatible. New photos are then saved as JPEG, and new videos as H.264.
This only changes new photos. The trade-off is larger files, so you may want to switch back to High Efficiency afterwards.
Sometimes the iPhone converts for you
Apple says that when you share by email, AirDrop or Messages with a device that doesn't support HEIC, the photo might be sent in a more compatible format such as JPEG. Photos imported to a PC over USB might be converted too. "Might" is the key word: if a form rejects a photo, converting it yourself is the reliable fix.
Last updated 2026-10-23.