What is a HEIC file?
If you've copied photos from an iPhone to a Windows PC or tried to upload one to a website, you've probably met the .heic extension. Here's what it is and why it exists.
The short answer
HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It’s a file type based on HEIF, a standard published by the MPEG group in 2015, and it compresses images with the same technology as HEVC (H.265) video. Apple made it the default camera format with iOS 11 in 2017, so almost every iPhone photo taken since then is a HEIC file – unless the setting was changed.
Why Apple switched from JPG
JPG dates from 1992. HEVC compression is decades newer and much smarter about which details the eye notices, so a HEIC photo needs roughly half the storage of a JPG that looks the same. On a phone with tens of thousands of photos, that adds up to many gigabytes.
The format can also hold more than one picture:
- Higher colour depth – up to 10 bits per channel instead of 8, which helps with HDR and smooth skies.
- Depth maps for Portrait mode, so the background blur can be changed later.
- Several images in one file, such as bursts, thumbnails and HDR information.
A Live Photo is a HEIC still image paired with a short video file; the HEIC holds only the photo.
Inside a HEIC photo
An iPhone doesn’t store one big picture. It splits the photo into tiles of 512 × 512 pixels, compresses each one and stores a “grid” that tells software how to put them back together. The file also records how the photo should be rotated, the camera’s EXIF data (date, settings and usually your GPS location) and a colour profile – normally Display P3, a wider colour range than standard sRGB.
These details are why some converters get HEIC wrong: they put the tiles together but forget the rotation, apply it twice, or ignore the colour profile so the photo looks dull.
Which devices open HEIC?
- iPhone, iPad and Mac: natively.
- Android: most phones from Android 9 onwards, and Google Photos.
- Windows 10 and 11: only with extensions from the Microsoft Store – see how to open HEIC files on Windows.
- Web browsers: only Safari displays HEIC. Chrome, Edge and Firefox don’t, which is why many upload forms reject it.
When you need a JPG
Whenever a HEIC file causes trouble – an old PC, an online form, a print shop or a relative who just sees an unknown icon – converting it to JPG solves the problem. Read HEIC vs JPG to decide which format to keep, or convert right below.
Convert HEIC to JPG right here
Drop your HEIC photos here
or
You can also paste an image with Ctrl+V.
Converted on this device. Nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Is HEIC better than JPG?
For storing photos, yes – similar quality at about half the size, plus 10-bit colour and HDR. For sharing and uploading, JPG is still more practical because everything opens it.
Is HEIC lossless?
No. Like JPG, HEIC uses lossy compression; it's simply more efficient, so it loses less detail at the same file size.
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
HEIF is the container standard. HEIC is a HEIF file whose images are compressed with HEVC, which is what iPhones produce. In practice the names are used interchangeably.
Can I delete the HEIC files after converting?
You can, but keep them if storage allows. The HEIC is the original; every conversion to JPG adds a little compression.
Learn more
- HEIC vs JPG – which is better?HEIC saves space, JPG opens everywhere. A clear comparison of quality, file size, colour and compatibility, and when to use which.
- How to open HEIC files on WindowsWindows can't open iPhone HEIC photos out of the box. Four ways to view them – with Microsoft's extensions, free viewers or by converting to JPG.
- How to make your iPhone save photos as JPGThree ways to get JPGs from an iPhone – change the camera format, convert during transfer, or convert only the photos you share.