Why are my iPhone photos HEIC on my Mac?
iPhones save photos as HEIC by default because it takes about half the space of JPEG. When you AirDrop or copy them to a Mac, they usually stay HEIC. You can switch the iPhone camera to JPEG under Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible, or convert the photos on your Mac. With FileMate, right-click them in Finder and choose Convert Images › JPEG.
FileMate converts the photos on your Mac. Family photos and ID scans are never uploaded.
Convert iPhone photos on your Mac with FileMate
- AirDrop or copy the photos from your iPhone to a folder on the Mac.
- Select them in Finder, right-click, and choose FileMate › Convert Images › JPEG.
- The JPGs appear next to the HEIC files, with the same names.
Three places to decide the format
| Where | Setting | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone camera | Settings › Camera › Formats: High Efficiency or Most Compatible | Whether new photos are saved as HEIC or JPEG |
| iPhone transfer | Settings › Photos › Transfer to Mac or PC: Automatic or Keep Originals | Whether photos imported over a cable are converted to JPEG on the way |
| The Mac | Convert when needed | The HEIC files you already have |
Most Compatible makes every new photo a JPEG, which uses roughly twice the storage on the phone and in iCloud. For most people it’s better to keep HEIC and convert the few photos that need to be JPG.
Does AirDrop convert HEIC to JPG?
Usually not. AirDrop from an iPhone to a Mac sends the original HEIC, because the Mac can open it. The same goes for iCloud Photos: the Photos app on the Mac shows the HEIC originals.
Export from Photos on the Mac
If the photos are in your Photos library, select them and choose File › Export › Export Photos. Set Photo Kind to JPEG and export to a folder. This converts as it exports.
Can my Mac open HEIC files?
Yes. Every Mac since macOS High Sierra opens HEIC in Preview, Photos and Quick Look. The problem is rarely the Mac; it’s where the photo goes next. Upload forms, online shops, some Windows PCs and older apps still don’t accept HEIC. See what to do when a website doesn’t accept HEIC.
What about Live Photos?
A Live Photo is a still image plus a short video. AirDrop and export send the still as HEIC or JPEG, and the video part separately or not at all. Converting to JPEG keeps the still photo.
Get FileMate
Keep the efficient HEIC on your phone, and make a JPG on your Mac when something asks for one. FileMate does it from Finder, and your photos stay on your Mac.
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