How to AirDrop a photo as a JPG instead of HEIC.
It’s fast and easy to share photos when you AirDrop from your phone. But not all phones can use the default HEIC format. Learn how to convert photos to JPG files instead.
Wondering how to AirDrop photos but not sure where to begin? Learning about which file types you’ll need is a good start. HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Coding and is a proprietary image file format. Some phones can’t accept pictures of that type. Images stored in this format take less room on your phone and display as a high-quality image, but they’re not as universal as JPG images, so it’s handy to know how to AirDrop them as JPGs when you need to.
Why AirDrop JPG instead of HEIC?
Since HEIC is a high-efficiency and high-quality image format, iPhones and iPads automatically save photos in that format. Unfortunately, HEIC is not widely supported, and it’s difficult to view on devices that are not from Apple. But using AirDrop is only possible for sharing between Apple devices. So why would you want to AirDrop JPG instead of HEIC?
It’s possible that you want to use the images you’re sharing to upload onto a blog or a website or that you want to go on to share it with a device that can’t natively view HEIC. JPG can be an excellent choice for those functions since it is almost universally supported and can compress images into small files, making them easier to upload.
How to AirDrop JPG, not HEIC, on an iPhone or iPad.
There are two easy answers for how to AirDrop photos as JPG, not HEIC, files. We’ll explain both ways and the benefits and compromises that come with both. Read on to learn how to AirDrop photos in the JPG format.
How to AirDrop photos as JPG, not HEIC, files
If you don’t want to save photos on your phone using the more efficient HEIC format, you can change the default setting. If you choose this method, all your photos will be saved as JPG files and can be shared easily. But remember, they will take up more storage space on your phone.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap the Camera settings, then tap Formats.
- In the Camera Capture section, you can choose the Most Compatible option.
- Now all your photos will save as JPGs.
AirDrop as a JPG by making a copy.
If you want to save only a certain photo as a JPG before you AirDrop it, use these steps to make a JPG copy of the file.
- Start the Camera app and find the image you want to AirDrop.
- Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Copy.
- Open the File app and select or create a folder.
- Tap and hold in the folder, then select Paste. You have saved the photo as a JPG.
- Tap the pasted image, choose the share icon, and AirDrop it.
You can also save your image to a PDF file. Converting to the PDF format makes it easy to share with anyone. You can work with PDFs using Adobe Acrobat online tools or other software on your device.
How to AirDrop JPG instead of HEIC from Mac.
If you want to AirDrop JPG, not HEIC, from a Mac, you can first use the Preview app to export your HEIC photo to JPG. Having the photo in JPG will open up more options for how you use and share it after it’s AirDropped. Then, follow these steps to send the JPG:
- Find the JPG you want to send.
- Control-click the JPG.
- Choose Share > AirDrop.
- Select the device to share with.
It will be helpful if you’re familiar with the name of the device you’re sharing with.
How to receive AirDrop photos.
You don’t always have to be open to receiving files via AirDrop on your iOS device. You can choose between receiving no AirDrops at all, receiving only from your contacts, or being open to receiving AirDrops from anyone around you. This depends on how you enable AirDrop.
To enable AirDrop and choose a privacy setting, follow these steps:
- Swipe to access your Control Center.
- Find AirDrop in the same category as Wi-Fi.
- Tap AirDrop to select between Receiving Off, Contacts Only, and Everyone.
Once you have AirDrop enabled on your iOS device, accepting photos is simple:
- Wait for a notification about an AirDrop.
- Choose Accept or Decline, depending on whether you want the photo.
You can also consider changing your AirDrop name to make your device easier to find.
Can I AirDrop pictures to Windows or Android devices?
The AirDrop app is only available on iOS, so a Windows or Android device can’t receive photos from AirDrop. It’s also impossible to send pictures via Apple’s AirDrop using an Android or Windows device. There are, however, many different third-party apps that you can install that allow you to quickly share photos in the same way that AirDrop does. If you want to use AirDrop on Android, your best bet is to find an app like AirDroid Personal. As long as the app is installed on two devices, you can share photos easily between them, just like with AirDrop.
More resources to work with your images.
Working with JPGs can be helpful for anything from sharing family photos to creating a blog to working with a team. Now that you’ve learned how to AirDrop pictures, here are some additional ways to work with images:
- Learn how to batch convert JPG images on a Mac.
- Learn about text extraction from images.
- Need to merge images as well? Learn how to combine images into PDF files.
- Use our online tool to convert a JPG to PDF.
Explore other ways you can use Acrobat to share photos and documents.