What is HEIC/HEIF? A Complete Introduction
If you take photos with an iPhone, you have probably noticed that your photo files have the extension .heic rather than the familiar .jpg. What exactly is this relatively new format? And why did Apple switch from JPG to HEIC?
HEIF vs HEIC: Understanding the Difference
- HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) — A container format standardized by the MPEG group in 2015 (ISO/IEC 23008-12). It defines how to store images and their metadata.
- HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) — A specific variant of HEIF that uses HEVC (H.265) as its coding method. Photos taken by Apple devices use this format.
In short: HEIF is the format standard; HEIC is a HEIF file encoded with HEVC.
Historical Background
HEIF was originally proposed by Nokia and standardized under the MPEG group. In 2017, Apple officially adopted HEIC as the default photo format for iPhone in iOS 11 — a pivotal moment that brought HEIF into the mainstream.
Core Advantages of HEIC
| Feature | HEIC | JPEG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression efficiency | ~50% smaller at same quality | Baseline |
| Color depth | 10-bit and 16-bit supported | 8-bit only |
| Transparency | Alpha channel supported | Not supported |
| Multi-image storage | Multiple images in one file | One image per file |
| Depth information | Can store depth maps | Not supported |
| HDR | Natively supported | Not supported |
| Animation | Supported (Live Photo) | Not supported |
Key Takeaway: HEIC's greatest advantage is file size — approximately half that of JPEG at the same visual quality. For iPhone users, this means storing twice as many photos in the same storage space.
Compatibility Challenges
Despite its technical superiority, HEIC's biggest challenge is compatibility:
- Apple devices — Native support on iOS 11+ and macOS High Sierra+
- Windows — Supported on Windows 10 1803+ (requires HEVC extension)
- Android — Partial support on Android 9+
- Browsers — Safari supports it; Chrome/Firefox have limited platform support
- Social media — Most platforms do not directly accept HEIC uploads
- Print services — Many online print services do not accept HEIC
Why Convert to JPG?
Due to compatibility limitations, you may need to convert HEIC to JPG when:
- Uploading to websites or platforms that do not support HEIC
- Sharing photos with Windows or Android users
- Using image editing software that does not support HEIC
- Ordering prints or using online print services
- Embedding images in Word documents or presentations
Conclusion
HEIC/HEIF is a technically excellent image format with compression efficiency and features that far surpass the aging JPEG standard. However, until compatibility becomes universal, knowing how to convert between HEIC and JPG remains an essential skill.
References
- ISO/IEC. "ISO/IEC 23008-12:2022 — High efficiency coding and media delivery in heterogeneous environments — Part 12: Image File Format." ISO, 2022. https://www.iso.org/standard/83650.html
- Apple. "Use HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices." Apple Support, 2024. https://support.apple.com/en-us/102016
- Nokia Technologies. "High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF)." Nokia HEIF, 2024. https://nokiatech.github.io/heif/