Convert a PNG on iPhone with no app
The quickest method needs nothing more than Safari. A browser-based converter runs right on the page, so there's nothing to install and no account to create.
- Open Safari and go to a converter such as PNGifier's tools page.
- Tap the upload or choose-file button. iOS lets you pick from your Photo Library, Take Photo, or Choose File (which opens the Files app).
- Select the PNG you want to convert.
- Pick the output format you need, then tap convert and wait for it to finish.
- Tap download or share, then choose Save to Files (or Save Image to put it back in Photos).
If you specifically want JPG, you can use the dedicated PNG to JPG converter and follow the same steps.
Use the Shortcuts app to convert images
If you convert images often, build it once with the Shortcuts app (pre-installed on modern iOS) and then run it from the Share sheet whenever you need it.
- Open the Shortcuts app and tap the plus button to create a new shortcut.
- Tap Add Action and search for Convert Image, then add it.
- In the action, set the format to JPEG or PNG, and adjust the quality slider if it's a lossy format.
- Add a Save to Photo Album or Save File action below it so the result is kept.
- Tap the shortcut's settings, turn on Show in Share Sheet, and accept image input.
- Give it a name like Convert Image and save it.
- To use it, open a photo, tap Share, scroll down, and tap your shortcut. It converts and saves in one tap.
Getting a PNG from an iPhone (HEIC) photo
Many iPhone photos aren't PNG or even JPG — they're HEIC, a space-saving format the camera uses by default. There are two easy ways to end up with a PNG.
- Take a screenshot. Open the photo full screen and press the side button and volume up together. The screenshot saves as a PNG in Photos. This is instant but captures whatever is on screen at the current resolution.
- Use a converter for a clean, full-quality result. A dedicated HEIC to PNG tool turns the original photo into a proper PNG without the cropping or scaling a screenshot introduces.
Not sure which format you actually need? See what is a PNG for when PNG is the right choice.
Change your iPhone camera format
If HEIC keeps getting in your way, you can tell the camera to capture in a more widely supported format so new photos are JPG from the start.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Camera, then Formats.
- Choose Most Compatible. New photos will now be saved as JPG instead of HEIC.
This only affects photos you take from now on — existing HEIC photos stay HEIC, so use one of the methods above to convert those. Keep in mind JPG files are a bit larger than HEIC and don't support transparency the way PNG does.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I convert a PNG on iPhone without installing an app?
- Yes. Open a browser-based converter in Safari, pick your PNG from Photos or Files, run the conversion, and save the result back to Files. Nothing gets installed.
- Why are my iPhone photos HEIC instead of PNG?
- By default the iPhone camera saves photos as HEIC to save space. You can take a screenshot of a photo to get a PNG, run it through a converter, or switch the camera to Most Compatible so it saves JPG instead.
- Do iPhone screenshots save as PNG?
- Yes. Screenshots taken with the side button plus volume up are saved as PNG files in your Photos library, which is a quick way to get a PNG without any conversion.
- Is the Shortcuts method better than a browser converter?
- It depends on how often you convert. A browser converter is fastest for a one-off. A Shortcut with the Convert Image action is better when you convert images regularly, because you can run it from the Share sheet in two taps.