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To stop a Galaxy phone from saving new photos as HEIC, open Camera > Settings and switch off High efficiency pictures (on some phones labelled HEIF pictures). Samsung Korea documents the path for the Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra as Camera > Settings > Picture format > High efficiency picture > Off. The setting only affects photos you take afterwards. It does not convert photos already on the phone.
Steps to switch off HEIC
- Open the Camera app.
- Tap the Settings (gear) icon.
- Look for Advanced picture options or Picture format, depending on your model and software version. Samsung’s US camera guide lists saving images in HEIF or RAW among the Advanced picture options.
- Switch High efficiency pictures or HEIF pictures to Off.
- Take a test photo, open it in Gallery, and check Details (the info icon). The file name should end in .jpg rather than .heic.
If you can’t find the option
Samsung notes that some camera options are not available on every phone or tablet, and names change between models and software releases. Search the camera settings for “High efficiency pictures”, “HEIF pictures”, “Picture format” or “Advanced picture options”. If none appear, check the support page or manual for your exact model. The Galaxy S23-series manual, for example, lists “High efficiency pictures” as taking pictures in HEIF.
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What the setting does and doesn’t do
- Future captures only. Existing HEIC files stay as they are. Samsung Community threads treat converting old images as a separate problem, so don’t expect this toggle to fix files you already have.
- Not the same as RAW/JPEG in Pro mode. The S23 manual describes a separate Pro-mode option for saving RAW and JPEG. That is mode-specific and not a replacement for the standard photo-format switch.
Should you turn it off?
This is a trade between storage and compatibility.
| Choice | Benefit | Risk or cost |
|---|---|---|
| HEIF/HEIC on | Samsung Germany says HEIF compresses photos “much more efficiently” than JPEG (“Das HEIF-Format komprimiert Fotos viel effizienter als JPEG”). No percentage is given, so the saving for your photos is not quantified. | Some apps, PCs or recipients may not open the files. Samsung Korea’s S21-family notice (2 December 2021) warns that some third-party camera apps don’t support high-efficiency pictures. |
| HEIF/HEIC off (JPEG) | Broader compatibility with software that expects JPEG. | Files are likely larger, so photos use more storage. Samsung publishes no figure for how much. |
Turn it off if a specific workflow needs JPEG: an app that can’t read HEIC, a Windows PC without HEIC support, or recipients who report they can’t open your photos. Community posts describe exactly these problems, but they are user reports, not proof that every device or Galaxy model is affected. If none of that applies, leaving it on saves space.
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Photos you already took in HEIC
Changing the camera setting won’t help with these. You would need to convert them, or re-share them in a way that converts them. The available sources don’t verify any particular converter, so check the privacy policy, platform support and batch limits of whatever tool you choose. You don’t need extra software to change the camera setting itself.
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