How to transfer iPhone photos to a PC as JPG instead of HEIC

By the heicjpg.online editorial team · Updated September 30, 2026 · 9 min read

Why iPhone photos show up as HEIC on a PC

Since iOS 11 the iPhone camera saves photos as HEIC and videos as HEVC by default (the High Efficiency setting). The files are roughly half the size of JPG at similar quality, which is great on the phone and awkward on Windows, where HEIC still needs an extra codec in many apps. Our explainer on why your photos are HEIC instead of JPG covers the background.

What decides the format on your PC is a second, less known switch: Transfer to Mac or PC. Since iOS 18 it lives in Settings > Apps > Photos (on iOS 17 and older it was Settings > Photos), and it is still there in iOS 27. It has two options:

• Automatic: the iPhone converts photos to JPG and videos to H.264 while they are copied over a cable, if it thinks the computer needs a compatible format.
• Keep Originals: files are copied exactly as stored, so you get HEIC photos and HEVC videos.

Which method gives you JPG? Decision table

Pick the row that matches how many photos you have and whether you want to keep the HEIC originals as a backup.

If you are not sure whether to convert at all, read should I convert HEIC to JPG and the side by side HEIC vs JPG comparison.

Method 1: USB cable and the Windows Photos app

This is the route Apple and Microsoft both document, and it works the same way on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

1. On the iPhone, open Settings > Apps > Photos and set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic.
2. On the PC, install the free Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store. It brings the Apple USB drivers that the import relies on and needs Windows 11 or Windows 10 22H2 or later. Having iTunes installed also works.
3. Connect the iPhone with a cable that carries data (not a charge only cable), plugged straight into the PC rather than a hub.
4. Unlock the iPhone and tap Trust (or Allow), then enter your passcode. Keep the phone unlocked until the import finishes.
5. Open Photos from the Start menu, select Import and choose your iPhone from the list of connected devices.
6. Tick Select new or Select all, or pick individual items, choose a destination folder (or Create folder), and select Import.

Check a few files in File Explorer afterwards: the extension should read .JPG. If it still says .HEIC, see the troubleshooting section below. Microsoft's own steps are on its import photos from phone to PC page, and Apple's are in Transfer photos from your iPhone or iPad.

Method 2: File Explorer and the DCIM folder

Prefer dragging folders yourself? With the phone connected, unlocked and trusted, open File Explorer and go to This PC > Apple iPhone > Internal Storage > DCIM. Photos sit in folders named like 100APPLE, 101APPLE or 202609__, usually grouped by month.

• With Automatic selected, files are converted as you copy them, so copy them to a folder on the PC rather than opening them straight from the phone.
• Copy one folder at a time. Large drag and drop jobs are exactly where the conversion falls behind and the copy stops with an error.
• If Internal Storage is empty, the phone is locked or the Trust prompt was not accepted. Unlock it and reconnect.

File Explorer shows only photos actually stored on the phone. If you use iCloud Photos with Optimize iPhone Storage, older photos exist on the phone only as small previews and will be missing or incomplete over the cable. Either switch to Download and Keep Originals in Settings > Apps > Photos (and wait for the download) or use Method 3.

Method 3: iCloud for Windows or iCloud.com

If your photos are in iCloud Photos, you can skip the cable completely.

iCloud for Windows (automatic sync)

1. Install iCloud from the Microsoft Store and sign in with your Apple Account.
2. Click the arrow next to iCloud Photos and turn iCloud Photos on.
3. Leave Download High Efficiency format photos and videos unchecked so the PC receives compatible JPG copies instead of HEIC. Click Done.

Photos arrive in C:\Users\YourName\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Photos and also appear under iCloud Photos in the Windows 11 Photos app. Apple describes the options in Set up Photos in iCloud for Windows.

iCloud.com (a few photos, any computer)

Sign in at icloud.com, open Photos, select the pictures and use the download option. Choosing Most Compatible gives you JPG; Unmodified Original gives you the HEIC file. Several photos download as a ZIP. It is handy on a work PC where you cannot install anything, but slow for thousands of images.

Method 4: keep the originals, convert to JPG afterwards

For a full library, or whenever Automatic keeps failing, the most reliable route is to let the iPhone copy the files untouched and convert on the PC. The copy is faster because the phone is not converting on the fly, and you keep full quality HEIC originals as a backup.

1. Set Settings > Apps > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC to Keep Originals.
2. Import with the Photos app or copy the DCIM folders in File Explorer, as above.
3. Open the HEIC to JPG converter in any browser, drop in up to 60 photos per batch (40 MB per file) and download one ZIP of JPG files at quality 92.

Good to know: EXIF data is kept, including the date, camera details and GPS location, so your photos stay sorted by date in any gallery. If you plan to post photos publicly and do not want the location attached, remove it with another tool first. For thousands of files, our guide to converting multiple HEIC files at once compares batch options, and converting HEIC to JPG on Windows shows the built in Windows tools. Need a PDF for a form instead? Use HEIC to PDF.

What happens to HDR, Live Photos, edits and videos

• HDR photos: recent iPhones store extra brightness information (a gain map) alongside the image so it can glow on HDR screens. Expect the JPG you view on a typical Windows setup to look like the standard version of the photo. Colors and detail are fine; the extra HDR highlight pop may not carry over.
• Live Photos: a Live Photo is two files, the still image and a short .MOV clip with the same number (for example IMG_1234.HEIC or .JPG plus IMG_1234.MOV). Windows imports both. The still converts to JPG; the motion part stays a separate video.
• Edited photos: over a cable you may see the edited version as a separate file starting with IMG_E and small .AAE files that hold edit instructions. Windows cannot use AAE files, so you can ignore them; keep the IMG_E files if you want your edits.
• Videos: with Automatic, videos are converted to H.264 (widely playable, larger and slower to copy). With Keep Originals they stay HEVC, which Windows plays after installing HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store (a small fee, US$0.99 at the time of writing) or with a player such as VLC.
• Portrait and Night mode photos convert like any other photo; depth effects are baked into the image you see.

Troubleshooting the real import errors

"A device attached to the system is not functioning"

The classic one, often shown partway through a copy in File Explorer or the Photos app. The usual cause is the on the fly HEIC to JPG conversion falling behind. Fix: set Transfer to Mac or PC to Keep Originals, reconnect and copy again, then convert on the PC (Method 4). Copying smaller folders also helps.

"The device is unreachable"

Same family of problem, common with videos and long imports. Try Keep Originals, keep the phone unlocked and on the charger, use a different cable and a USB port directly on the PC.

The iPhone does not appear in Photos or File Explorer

• Unlock the phone and look for the Trust This Computer prompt.
• If the prompt never shows (or you tapped Don't Trust), reset it: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy, then reconnect.
• Install or update the Apple Devices app to refresh the drivers. In Device Manager, under Portable Devices, uninstalling the Apple iPhone entry and reconnecting forces a clean driver setup.

Photos still arrive as HEIC with Automatic selected

The iPhone decided your PC can handle HEIC. Either convert the files afterwards, or use iCloud for Windows with the High Efficiency option unchecked. If you just need to look at them, a guide to opening HEIC files or the online HEIC viewer is enough.

Some photos are missing or the DCIM folder is empty

Optimize iPhone Storage is on, so originals are in iCloud only. Switch to Download and Keep Originals, or download them through iCloud for Windows or iCloud.com.

Photos appear rotated

The orientation is stored in EXIF. Most modern viewers respect it; if an old app does not, open the file in the Photos app and save a rotated copy.

On a Mac, or to get JPG from the camera itself

A Mac reads HEIC natively, so the Photos app and Image Capture import HEIC without complaint. To end up with JPG, export from Photos with File > Export and choose JPEG; the full walkthrough is in how to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac.

To stop creating HEIC at all, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG and videos as H.264, and they take more storage. Some features, such as 4K video at 60 fps, require High Efficiency, so check that you do not rely on them. More options on the phone itself are in HEIC to JPG on iPhone.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my iPhone photos show as HEIC on my PC?

The iPhone camera saves HEIC by default, and the Transfer to Mac or PC setting is either set to Keep Originals or iOS decided your PC supports HEIC. Set it to Automatic in Settings > Apps > Photos, or convert the HEIC files to JPG after copying.

Where is the Transfer to Mac or PC setting in iOS 27?

Open Settings > Apps > Photos and scroll to the bottom. It moved there in iOS 18 when app settings were grouped under Apps; on iOS 17 and earlier it is in Settings > Photos.

Does converting to JPG on transfer reduce quality?

It creates a new JPG from the HEIC original, so it is a lossy step, but at normal viewing sizes the difference is hard to see. JPG files are usually larger than the HEIC originals. If you want to keep the best copy, use Keep Originals and convert a separate set.

Do I need iTunes to import iPhone photos on Windows 11?

No. Apple now recommends the free Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store, which installs the needed drivers. iTunes still works if you already have it.

Why are my iPhone photos not showing on my PC?

The phone is locked, the Trust prompt was not accepted, the cable only charges, or the photos are stored in iCloud with Optimize iPhone Storage on. Unlock, tap Trust, try another cable, or download the originals first.

Can I transfer iPhone photos to a PC wirelessly as JPG?

Yes, with iCloud for Windows (leave the High Efficiency download option unchecked) or by downloading from iCloud.com with Most Compatible. Emailing photos from the Share sheet also often converts them, but it is impractical for more than a few.

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