Key takeaways
- Sites reject HEIC because it is not on their allowlist, and because, according to Can I use, only Safari 17 and later can display it, so a site that accepts HEIC has to convert it on its own servers.
- Official help pages differ. Instagram's computer help lists jpg, png and heic/heif; eBay, Etsy, Canva and WordPress.com list HEIC; Facebook's upload help recommends JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF or TIFF and does not mention HEIC.
- On an iPhone, WebKit's source code shows Safari's photo picker asking iOS for a 'compatible' version by default, and an Apple engineer says that can mean HEIF transcoded to JPEG. Files chosen through Choose File, or uploaded from a computer, are sent unchanged.
- Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible makes new photos JPEG. The Keep Originals setting only affects copying to a computer by cable, not uploads to websites.
- Converting a copy is the dependable fix: HEIC to JPG in your browser, or HEIC to Target Size when a portal also has a KB limit.
On this page
The quickest fix
- 01
Convert a copy to JPG
Drop the HEIC into HEIC to JPG. It is decoded on your device, so nothing is uploaded to us. The converter is embedded below.
- 02
If the form has a size limit, aim for it directly
Some forms, often job and government portals, state a maximum file size. HEIC to Target Size searches for the highest JPG or WebP quality that fits a KB figure you type; pick JPG unless the form says WebP is allowed.
- 03
Upload the JPG
JPEG is on every upload list we checked, including those of the sites that do not mention HEIC.
- 04
Keep the HEIC
Converting makes a new file. The original stays as it was, at full quality.
Why websites reject HEIC
Two things are going on, and the error message rarely says which. People see wording such as 'file type not supported', 'could not be uploaded' or 'is not an authorized file extension'; all of them mean the file did not match what the site was built to accept.
- An allowlist. Most upload forms accept a fixed list of types and refuse everything else, as a security measure as much as anything. WordPress.com, for example, says it restricts uploads to the file types it lists because that protects sites from unsafe files, and Etsy says its five image types are the only ones it supports.
- Nobody could see the photo. Can I use lists HEIC as supported only in Safari 17 and later; Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not display it. A site that stored your HEIC as it is would show a broken image to most visitors, so it must either convert it on the server or refuse it.
Converting on the server is not free either. WordPress 6.7, for example, converts HEIC uploads to JPEG only when the server's ImageMagick library supports HEIC; otherwise it warns you and asks you to convert the image yourself. A site can accept HEIC on paper and still fail on your particular file if its decoder cannot handle it.
What each platform's own help says
We read each platform's help pages on 11 October 2026 and report only what they state. Where a page does not mention HEIC either way, we say 'not documented' rather than guess.
| Platform | HEIC? | What the help page says | Other limits it states |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram (on a computer) | Yes | 'The supported file formats are jpg, png and heic/heif' when you post from a computer | None stated on that page |
| Instagram (phone app) | Not documented | The help pages we read list no formats for the app | Photos are shared at up to 1080 px wide |
| Instagram (scheduling tools) | No | Meta's publishing API, which such tools use, says JPEG is the only image format supported | MPO and JPS are not supported |
| Not listed | Recommends JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF or TIFF | Photos under 15 MB; PNG under 1 MB | |
| eBay | Yes | Accepts JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, WEBP, HEIC or AVIF | Up to 12 MB each; at least 500 × 500 px |
| Etsy | Yes | .jpg, .gif, .png, .svg or .heic are 'the only image file types Etsy supports' | Over 1 MB may not finish on a slow connection |
| WordPress.com | Yes | Accepts .heic and .heif among its image types | Reliable up to 2 GB, within your plan's storage |
| WordPress (self-hosted) | Depends on the server | From 6.7, HEIC is converted to JPEG if the server's Imagick supports it; otherwise you are told to convert it. From 7.1 the browser can convert it too. Details in HEIC on websites and WordPress | Check Tools > Site Health > Info > Media Handling |
| Canva | Yes | Upload JPEG, PNG, HEIC/HEIF or WebP images | Under 50 MB and no more than 250 million pixels |
| Google Docs | Not documented | The Docs help page lists no formats. Google's Docs API accepts only PNG, JPEG and GIF, and Sheets help lists .png, .jpg and .gif. More in our Google guide | Sheets: under 50 MB |
| Government and job portals | Not documented | Each portal sets its own list. If HEIC is not named on the form or its help page, assume it is not accepted | Often a KB limit too |
Platforms change their rules without notice. If the upload page itself names allowed formats, that wins over this table.
When a platform says yes but the upload still fails
- You are using a different route from the one documented. Instagram documents HEIC for posting from a computer, not for every app or tool; a third-party scheduler goes through Meta's API, which takes JPEG only.
- The file is too big. eBay states 12 MB per photo, Canva 50 MB, and Etsy warns that images over 1 MB may not finish uploading on a slow connection. A HEIC is usually small, but a converted JPG is often larger.
- The file is not really on your device. A photo in iCloud or OneDrive that has not downloaded can look present and fail when read. Download it first.
- The site's decoder cannot read that particular HEIC. Microsoft notes that some cameras produce HEIC files its own HEVC codec pack cannot read, and server-side converters have limits too. Converting it yourself sidesteps the question.
- The file is damaged. Our health check decodes it locally and tells you.
What your iPhone does when you upload through a browser
When a web page's upload button is tapped in Safari on an iPhone, WebKit offers Photo Library, a camera option and Choose File. They do not behave the same way, and this explains why the same photo uploads from one route and not another.
| You choose | What the site receives | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Photo Library | Often a JPEG copy | WebKit asks the photo picker for its 'compatible' representation unless the app embedding WebKit prefers originals, a preference that defaults to off. An Apple engineer says that unless the current format is requested, the system may transcode HEIF to JPEG. |
| Take a photo in the upload menu | A JPEG | WebKit's code falls back to a JPEG representation for photos taken with the camera during upload. |
| Choose File (the Files app) | The file exactly as stored, so a .heic stays HEIC | WebKit copies the picked file to a temporary folder and uploads it with no conversion step. |
One exception reported by developers: when a page lists image/heic in its accept attribute, Safari 17 and later has handed it HEIC files, even passing a JPEG along as a .heic file. That is what you want on a site that supports HEIC, and a problem on one that does not.
Apps that show web pages inside themselves use the same engine but can configure it differently, and we have not tested them. If an in-app browser refuses your photo, open the same page in Safari and choose Photo Library, or convert the photo first.
Stop HEIC at the source
If you upload photos from your iPhone often, three settings are worth knowing. Only the first changes what the camera saves; the others change copies.
- 01
Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible
Apple says all new photos and videos then use JPEG or H.264. The option appears only on models that can capture HEIF. It affects new photos only and makes them larger. Our iPhone guide covers the trade-off.
- 02
Share > Options > Format, for one photo
In the Photos share sheet, Apple's guide offers Automatic, Current and Most Compatible; with Most Compatible, files may convert to JPEG or MOV.
- 03
From a computer: iCloud.com > More Download Options > Most Compatible
Select photos at iCloud.com/photos, choose More Download Options and pick Most Compatible to download JPEGs instead of HEIC.
Convert and upload
Try it here
Convert HEIC to JPG here
Drop the photos in and download JPGs. Nothing is uploaded. For many photos at once use the batch converter (50 files or 500 MB per batch); for a KB limit use HEIC to Target Size.
What does not work
- Renaming .heic to .jpg. It may get past a check that only reads the name, but the contents are still HEIC, so the upload can fail later or show as a broken image. Convert instead.
- Taking a screenshot of the photo. It works only at screen resolution, and Apple says that when screen capture is set to HDR, iPhone screenshots are saved as HEIF, so you may end up with another HEIC.
- Switching the camera to Most Compatible to fix photos you already have. Apple says existing photos are not changed. Convert those.
- Emailing the photo to yourself and downloading it. Apple says Mail might convert for a receiver that cannot read HEIC, but 'might' is not a plan.
Frequently asked questions
Try it yourself
Related reading
- Why iPhone photos are HEIC, and how to change it
- HEIC browser support: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
- HEIC in Google Photos, Drive, Docs and Messages
- Open HEIC on Windows 10 and 11: what works
- HEIC on your website: WordPress, Shopify, Wix
- HEIC in iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox and Box
- Why a HEIC file won't open
- HEIF extension installed but not working
Sources
- HEIF/HEIC image format — browser support — Can I use, checked
- Post a photo on Instagram (Computer Help) — Instagram Help Center, checked
- Image resolution of photos you share on Instagram — Instagram Help Center, checked
- Instagram Platform: Content Publishing — Meta for Developers, checked
- I can't upload photos on Facebook — Facebook Help Center, checked
- Adding pictures to your listings — eBay Help, checked
- Requirements and Best Practices for Images in Your Etsy Shop — Etsy Help, checked
- Accepted file types on WordPress.com sites — WordPress.com Support, checked
- Automatic conversion of HEIC images to JPEG in WordPress 6.7 — Make WordPress Core, checked
- Check file upload formats and requirements for Canva — Canva Help Center, checked
- Insert or delete images & videos — Google Docs Editors Help, checked
- Google Docs API: Requests reference (InsertInlineImageRequest) — Google for Developers, checked
- Add an image to a spreadsheet — Google Docs Editors Help, checked
- WKFileUploadPanel.mm (WebKit source, iOS file upload panel) — WebKit project, checked
- UnifiedWebPreferences.yaml: PhotoPickerPrefersOriginalImageFormat (WebKit source) — WebKit project, checked
- Understanding PHPickerConfiguration AssetRepresentationMode current (forum thread) — Apple Developer Forums, checked
- Safari 17+: Image file got automatically converted to HEIC extension — Apple Developer Forums, checked
- Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices — Apple Support, checked
- Share photos and videos on iPhone — Apple Support, checked
- Download iCloud photos and videos — Apple Support, checked
- Change the screen capture settings on iPhone — Apple Support, checked
- Image capture - What does "Keep originals…" mean? (Apple Community thread) — Apple Community (forum), checked
- iPhone to PC photo transfer via USB stops after seconds (Microsoft Q&A thread) — Microsoft Q&A (community forum), checked
- Office support for HEIF, AVIF, and WebP files — Microsoft Support, checked
How we research and correct: editorial policy.
Written by the heic.fyi team · Last updated: · Spotted an error? Tell us.