Why won't my iPhone photos upload to a photo collage tool?

iPhones save photos in the HEIC format by default, which many web tools can't read directly. That's usually why the upload fails, hangs, or shows a broken image icon.

How do I convert HEIC photos so I can use them?

You can change your iPhone's camera format to 'Most Compatible' (Settings > Camera > Formats) so new photos save as JPG, or use a tool that converts HEIC in the browser automatically, like Moments Wrapped, so existing HEIC photos work without any manual export step.

Does converting HEIC photos lower the quality?

No, a standard HEIC-to-JPG conversion doesn't meaningfully reduce visible quality. It's a format change, not a compression downgrade.

Why Won't My iPhone Photos Upload? How to Fix HEIC Issues

If you've dropped photos from your iPhone into a website and they either don't appear, show a broken image icon, or the upload just seems to hang, it's almost always the same cause.

The short answer

iPhones save photos as HEIC by default, and a lot of websites can't read that format directly. The fix is either to convert your photos to JPG before uploading, or to use a tool that converts HEIC automatically in the browser, which is what Moments Wrapped does. You can drop in iPhone photos straight from your camera roll with no extra step.

Why this happens

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's default photo format since iOS 11. It compresses better than JPG, but it's not universally supported outside Apple's ecosystem: plenty of web tools, and some older browsers, simply can't decode it. When that happens, the upload either silently fails, shows a placeholder icon, or the tool errors out entirely.

Three ways to fix it

1. Use a tool that converts HEIC for you

The easiest fix is to skip the manual step entirely. Moments Wrapped converts HEIC photos to a usable format directly in your browser the moment you upload them. Nothing is sent to a server first, and there's nothing for you to convert manually.

2. Change your iPhone's camera format to JPG

If you want new photos to save in a more universally compatible format going forward: go to Settings > Camera > Formats and select Most Compatible. This makes your iPhone save new photos as JPG instead of HEIC. It won't change photos you've already taken.

3. Convert existing HEIC photos manually

For photos already on your phone, you can convert them individually: open the photo, tap Share, then Copy Photo or use the Files app's export options, which typically saves a JPG copy. This works, but it's slow if you're preparing dozens of photos for a collage.

Which option to pick

If you're just trying to finish a project today (a birthday collage, a gift), the first option is the one that actually gets you there without extra steps. The second and third options are worth doing if you upload photos to a lot of different tools and want to avoid this problem going forward.