Since the appearance of iOS 11, the iPhone's camera captures images in a brand new format called HEIC. Although very efficient, this type of file poses a number of compatibility issues. Here is a solution to force your iPhone camera to take JPEG photos..
The advantages of the HEIC format compared to JPEG
The new HEIC (High Efficiency Image File Container) photo format used by iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) instead of traditional JPEG offers many advantages but also some constraints. Its compression algorithm makes it possible to obtain photos of equivalent quality in JPEG but with a much smaller image file.
And this is far from negligible. We all face storage problems today. With the HEIC format, photos taken with the iPhone's camera take up less memory space. This allows you to capture and store more photos on an iPhone or iPad without using iCloud Photos..
But be careful, using the HEIC format has some drawbacks. This relatively new standard still remains fairly confidential. Out of the Apple ecosystem, very few systems support this photo format.
So if you are used to sharing your photos on the web or sending them to friends who have an Android smartphone or a Windows PC, it might cause some problems. Obviously you can still convert your HEIC photos to JPG format but the operation is long and painful. Why not then go back to the good old JPEG format..
Take JPEG Photos with iPhone
With more than 30 years of existence, the JPEG format is compatible with most computer systems. Although JPEG images are larger than their HEIC counterparts, they can be shared more easily. For example, no need to go through the conversion step to enjoy your photos on your Windows computer.
You might like the photos taken by iPhone to be automatically saved in JPEG format as it was with older versions of iOS? Here is the solution to permanently switch from HEIC to JPEG
- Open the iOS settings of your iPhone or iPad
- Select the camera section
- Click on the formats section
- Your iPhone will offer you two different types of recording formats: high efficiency and the most compatible
- Check the most compatible box
- Close the settings window
By selecting this option, you will force your smartphone or tablet to always use the JPEG and H.264 format for capturing photos or videos. Important detail, the quality of photos will not be affected by this change.
As explained previously, the difference will be mainly on the weight of the files. The HEIC versions benefit from a better compression algorithm. If your phone has limited storage space, you may need to keep the high efficiency (HEIC) option.
Please note that the JPEG format has other drawbacks. One of the main issues is with video. By choosing the most compatible option (JPEG) you will no longer be able to use certain features of the iPhone such as 4K video recording at 60 frames per second or slow motion video at 240 frames per second.
Importantly, not all iPhones support the new HEIC and HEIF image formats. This feature is only available on newer devices like iPhone 7, 8, X, XR, XS, 11, 11 pro, 12, 12 pro and higher. Also remember that only iOS 11 and later versions have the recording format option in the phone settings.