To download an image as a JPEG, right-click the image on a webpage and choose “Save Image As,” then pick JPEG in the file dialog when the option appears. If your browser only offers WebP or another format, you can convert the saved file to JPEG using built-in tools on Windows or Mac, or adjust your iPhone camera settings to capture JPEGs from the start.
Why your browser might not save images as JPEG
Many modern websites serve images in WebP format because it compresses files more efficiently than JPEG, which speeds up page loading. This is not a malfunction, it simply reflects the format the server delivered. The workaround is either to force the browser to save as JPEG using an extension, or to download the file as-is and convert it afterward. If you are transferring images directly from a camera, you can also download pictures from canon powershot without any format conversion. Both approaches are covered below, so you can get a JPEG regardless of what the website originally sent.
How to download an image as a JPEG directly from the browser
The classic method works for most images that are already in JPEG format. Right-click (or Control-click on a Mac) the image, then choose “Save Image As” or “Save Picture As” from the context menu. In the dialog that appears, navigate to the folder where you want the file, give it a name, and check the “Save as type” dropdown. If JPEG or JPG is listed, select it and click Save. This is the fastest way to download an image as a JPEG when the source file is already in that format.
When the dropdown only shows WebP or PNG, you need a browser extension to add a forced JPEG option. Install “Save Image As Type” for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, or “Save Image as JPG” for Firefox or Edge. Once installed, right-click the image, hover over the extension’s menu item (often labeled “Save Image As Type”), and select JPG or JPEG from the submenu. The extension will convert the image on the fly and save it directly as a JPEG, skipping the need for a separate conversion step.
Convert an existing image to JPEG on Windows
If you already saved an image in WebP, PNG, or another format, Microsoft Paint can convert it to JPEG without installing anything. Open Paint, then open the image file you want to convert. Go to File > Save As and choose JPEG picture from the “Save as type” dropdown. Pick a location and filename, then click Save. Paint will re-encode the image as JPEG, and you can use it anywhere that requires that format. This method works for any image file that Paint can open, which includes most common formats.
Convert an existing image to JPEG on a Mac
Preview, the built-in image viewer on macOS, handles JPEG conversion just as easily. Open the image in Preview, then click File > Export. In the export dialog, select JPEG from the Format pop-up menu. A quality slider appears, letting you balance file size against image fidelity, drag it left for a smaller file or right for maximum quality. Choose a destination and filename, then click Save. Preview will create a new JPEG file, leaving the original untouched. This is particularly useful when you need to shrink a large PNG or convert a WebP download for compatibility.
Set your iPhone camera to capture JPEG photos
If you regularly need JPEGs from your phone, changing the camera format avoids conversion entirely. To switch to JPEG, open Settings > Camera > Formats and select Most Compatible. After this change, all new photos are captured as JPEG, which simplifies moving photos to a computer, emailing them, or uploading them to websites that reject HEIC. If you use a Samsung device, you can then download photos from Samsung phone to computer without worrying about compatibility. Existing HEIC photos in your library are not converted retroactively, but any photo you take from now on will be a JPEG.
