Image format
The HEIC format
HEIC is the iPhone’s photo format, built on the HEVC video codec. HEIC is Apple’s name for HEIF, a 2015 MPEG standard; iPhones have saved photos in it by default since iOS 11 in 2017.
When to use HEIC
Keep HEIC on your iPhone to save space; convert copies to JPG for anything that leaves Apple’s world.
It is best for storing photos on Apple devices without using much space, and it opens on iPhones, iPads and Macs; Windows needs an extra extension, Chrome can’t show it and most upload forms reject it.
How to open it: Photos and Preview on a Mac open it; on Windows install Microsoft’s HEIF and HEVC extensions, or convert it.
| Full name | High Efficiency Image Container |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .heic, .heif, .hif |
| MIME type | image/heic |
| Introduced | 2017 |
| Compression | Lossy |
| Transparency | No |
| Animation | No |
| Support | Mainly Apple devices |
| Typical size | An iPhone photo is usually 1–3 MB |
Good at
- About half the size of the equivalent JPG
- Holds 10-bit color and the depth data behind Portrait mode
Not so good at
- Won’t open on many Windows PCs, Android apps or websites
- Visa, job and exam portals almost always refuse it
The common mistake
AirDrop and iCloud often convert photos to JPG for you, but cables, email and “Files” copies keep HEIC, so the same photo works on one computer and not another.
Compare HEIC with
Questions
What is an HEIC file?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the iPhone’s photo format, built on the HEVC video codec. HEIC is Apple’s name for HEIF, a 2015 MPEG standard; iPhones have saved photos in it by default since iOS 11 in 2017.
How do I open an HEIC file?
Photos and Preview on a Mac open it; on Windows install Microsoft’s HEIF and HEVC extensions, or convert it.
How do I convert HEIC to another format?
Pick the target on this page, or open the Image Converter, drop the HEIC file and choose a format. It converts in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.