What is HEIC?
HEIC is the default photo format of iPhones and iPads. It uses HEVC (H.265) compression and stores a photo in about half the size of a JPG of the same quality. HEIC is best for storing many photos on a phone without filling the storage. Windows, Android, most websites, print shops and many apps cannot open HEIC without extra codecs.
What is JPG?
JPG (also written JPEG) is the most widely supported photo format. It uses lossy compression tuned for photographs, which keeps files small, but it has no transparency. JPG is best for photos, e-mail attachments, social media and any upload form.
When should you convert HEIC to JPG?
- Photos AirDropped or e-mailed from an iPhone arrive as .heic and will not open on a Windows PC or Android phone.
- A website, online form, print service or social network rejects HEIC uploads.
- You want to share holiday photos with family who use different devices.
Tips for the best result
The HEIC decoder (about 1.3 MB) loads the first time you drop a HEIC file and then works offline. Photos are rotated correctly and converted at full resolution; set a “Max width” of 2048 px for light files to share.
HEIC vs JPG at a glance
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Raster | Raster |
| Compression | Lossy (HEVC) | Lossy |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| Animation | Sequences | No |
| Compatibility | Apple devices; poor elsewhere | Universal |
| Best for | Storing many photos on a phone without filling the storage | Photos, e-mail attachments, social media and any upload form |