HEIC
/ˈhiːk/ · noun · image format · High Efficiency Image Container
Apple’s default photo format since iOS 11. Half the size of JPG at the same quality.
In more detail
HEIC arrived with iOS 11 in 2017 and has been the iPhone’s default camera format ever since. Under the hood it’s a container that can hold single images, bursts, and Live Photos.
Its main drawback is compatibility outside the Apple ecosystem — which is why converting HEIC to JPG remains one of the most common file conversions in the world.
What a HEIC file can contain
A HEIC file is more than a flat grid of pixels. The container can store a primary photo, thumbnails, depth information, edits, multiple frames, and EXIF metadata. That structure helps Apple features such as burst capture, portrait effects, and non-destructive edits travel with an image.
Most iPhone HEIC photos use HEVC compression, which preserves comparable visual detail in less space than a typical camera JPG. The exact saving depends on the scene and quality settings; “half the size” is a useful rule of thumb rather than a guarantee for every photo.
HEIC compatibility and conversion
Current Apple systems open HEIC natively, and modern browsers and operating systems have improved support. Problems still appear in older Windows software, email workflows, print services, websites, and apps that only accept JPG or PNG.
Convert to JPG when broad compatibility and a compact photograph matter. Convert to PNG only when you need transparency or a lossless editing step, because a photographic PNG is often much larger. Keep the original HEIC if you may need its metadata or additional image information later.
Key points
- HEIC is a container that can hold images, metadata, thumbnails, and auxiliary data.
- Most iPhone HEIC images use the HEVC codec for efficient compression.
- JPG is the practical compatibility copy; the original HEIC is the better archive.