What Is a HEIC File? The Plain-English Guide to Apple's Photo Format
The short answer
A HEIC file is a photo saved in the format Apple devices use by default. The .heic extension marks an image stored in the HEIF container and compressed with HEVC (H.265), a video codec. Apple says HEIF compresses better than JPEG while keeping the same visual quality, so the same photo takes less space on your iPhone and in iCloud Photos.
The trade-off is compatibility. Plenty of apps, websites and older systems were built around JPEG, so a HEIC from an iPhone can fail to open, preview or upload somewhere else. If that is what brought you here, convert HEIC to JPG in your browser: the conversion runs on your device and your photos are not uploaded.
HEIC, HEIF and HEVC: what each name means
Three names get mixed up constantly, and they sit at different layers.
| Name | What it is | Where you meet it |
| HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) | A container standard for images and image sequences, published as ISO/IEC 23008-12 | Behind every .heic and .heif file |
| HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also called H.265) | A video compression codec that Apple also uses to compress the pixels of its photos | Inside .heic files and in iPhone videos |
| HEIC | The file extension for HEIF images compressed with HEVC | The photo files your iPhone saves |
You will see HEIC spelled out in more than one way (GIMP's documentation, for example, uses High Efficiency Image Coding), but the rule matters more than the spelling: a .heic file is a HEIF file whose image is compressed with HEVC.
The reverse does not hold. A .heif file can use other codecs, and an .avif file is a HEIF-family file compressed with AV1 instead of HEVC. Microsoft's imaging documentation draws the same line: HEIF files compressed with HEVC typically use .heic, and those compressed with AV1 typically use .avif. That is why .heic and .heif are not always interchangeable.
When Apple started using HEIC, and on which devices
Apple introduced HEIF for photos and HEVC for video with iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, released in 2017. Viewing the files works on many devices, but capturing them needs newer hardware. With iOS 11 or later, iPadOS or visionOS, Apple lists these devices as able to capture in HEIF or HEVC:
- iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus or later
- iPad (6th generation) or later, iPad Air (3rd generation) or later, and iPad mini (5th generation) or later
- iPad Pro (10.5 inch), iPad Pro (11 inch) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) or later
- Apple Vision Pro
Other devices running iOS 11 or later, iPadOS, visionOS or macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later can still view, edit or duplicate the files, with limitations.
Why Apple uses HEIC
The main reason is storage. Apple says HEIF and HEVC offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less space on your devices and in iCloud Photos while preserving the same visual quality. When the iPhone 8 was announced, Apple went further and claimed up to two times the compression, with room for twice the photos and videos.
The second reason is what JPEG cannot do. In a 2017 developer session on HEIF, Apple's image compression team pointed out that JPEG dates from 1992, compresses less efficiently than newer codecs, cannot easily carry extra images such as alpha or depth, and does not support animation. HEIF can hold several images, thumbnails, depth maps and image sequences in one file. In day-to-day use that means smaller files and more room for extras on one side, universal compatibility on the other; the full comparison is in HEIC vs JPEG.
What is inside a HEIC from an iPhone, and what is not
What it holds
- The picture, compressed with HEVC. Apple described its iOS 11 files as a grid of tiles measuring 512 by 512 pixels, plus a small HEVC-encoded thumbnail.
- Metadata. The HEIF design includes metadata items such as EXIF and XMP next to the image.
- Depth data. Apple's developer documentation says depth information captured for effects like Portrait mode is embedded in the saved photo file, and Apple's HEIF session says depth is stored as an auxiliary image.
- HDR gain information. Microsoft's imaging documentation describes a gain channel in HEIF files from recent iPhones that lets an app turn the standard image into an HDR one.
What it does not hold
- The video of a Live Photo. A Live Photo records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture, and Apple's developer documentation lists its video as a separate component. When Photos on Mac exports the original, Apple says a Live Photo comes out as two files, a still-image file and a video file. If the motion is what you want, see turning Live Photos into MP4.
- RAW data. Apple ProRAW photos use the DNG format, not HEIC. The differences are covered in HEIC vs RAW on the iPhone.
Three popular claims, checked
"HEIC is 16-bit." The HEIF family can store more than 8 bits per sample: the libheif documentation says HEVC images in a HEIF file can have up to 15 bits per sample, because the file format cannot signal 16. Nokia's HEIF reference site, however, describes typical consumer devices as storing images at 8 bits per sample. So do not count on 16-bit color from a phone photo, and do not assume a HEIC has more color depth than the JPEG next to it.
"HEIC supports transparency." The format can carry an alpha channel, and Apple's Preview on iPhone even has an Alpha switch when you export to HEIC. But a camera photo is a plain rectangle, and if transparency has to survive in every app, PNG is the safer file.
"HEIC stores Live Photos, bursts and animations." The HEIF standard can store bursts and image sequences, according to Nokia's technical description, but Live Photos are a still plus a separate video file, as described above.
HEIC compatibility by platform and app
Each row reflects what the manufacturer or service itself documents, checked in October 2026. Where nothing is documented, the table says so.
| Where | Opens HEIC? | What to know |
| iPhone and iPad | Yes, iOS 11 or later | Apple says iOS 11 or later is needed to fully view, edit or duplicate HEIF photos |
| Mac | Yes, macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later | Photos and Preview open HEIF images and can export them as JPEG or PNG |
| Windows | With extensions | Microsoft points to the HEIF Image Extensions plus the HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store, and notes the HEVC codec might not be available on all PCs |
| Android | Android 9 and later, depending on the device | Android's documentation lists HEIF decoding from Android 9.0 and calls it device optional |
| ChromeOS | Not listed | Google's list of file types that work on Chromebooks names bmp, gif, jpg, jpeg, png and webp images, not HEIC |
| Safari | Yes, version 17 and later | Can I use lists Safari 17 and later on Mac and iOS |
| Chrome, Edge, Firefox | No | Can I use shows no support in their current versions |
| Google Photos | Yes | Google lists .heic and .heif among the photo file types it can back up |
| Google Drive, Docs, Slides | Not documented | Drive's list of previewable image types does not include HEIC, and Google's Docs and Slides help does not list HEIC as an image format |
| OneDrive | Yes, previews | Microsoft lists HEIC and HEIF among the image formats OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams can preview |
| Email and messages | Depends on the recipient | Apple says AirDrop, Messages and email may send a more compatible format such as JPEG if the receiving device does not support HEIF |
| Canva | Yes | Canva's upload requirements list HEIC and HEIF images under 50 MB |
| WordPress | Yes, since 6.7 on servers that support it | WordPress converts HEIC uploads to JPEG when the server has an Imagick version that supports HEIC |
| Photoshop and other editors | Varies by app and version | Check the app's own list of supported file formats |
If a social network, chat app or web form rejects a HEIC, convert it to JPG first. More detail on the tricky ones: HEIC in Google Drive, Docs and Slides, HEIC codec on Windows 10, HEIC in Photoshop, HEIC in Canva, uploading HEIC to WordPress and attaching HEIC to email.
How to open a HEIC file
On iPhone, iPad and Mac
Open the photo in Photos, or on a Mac double-click it to open it in Preview. Apple documents File > Export in both Mac apps for saving the image as JPEG or PNG; our Mac guide covers the options.
On Windows
Microsoft's guidance is to install two extensions from the Microsoft Store, HEIF Image Extensions (listed as free) and HEVC Video Extensions (listed as a paid add-on), and then restart the Photos app. Microsoft says you need both, even if you only work with photos. To install nothing, convert the file to JPG or use the HEIC viewer.
On Android and Chromebook
Android 9 and later can decode HEIF on devices that include support for it, and Google Photos accepts .heic files. On an older or limited device, convert HEIC to JPG on Android. Chromebook users can follow how to open HEIC on a Chromebook.
On any device, in a browser
The HEIC viewer shows the photo without installing anything, and the HEIC to JPG converter turns it into a file every app understands. For an overview of every method, see how to open HEIC files.
What happens when you move iPhone photos to a PC
Apple says that when you import HEIF or HEVC media from an attached iPhone or iPad into Photos, Image Capture or a PC, the media might be converted to JPEG or H.264. The setting that stops this is on the iPhone:
- Open Settings and tap Apps.
- Tap Photos and scroll down.
- Tap Keep Originals.
With Keep Originals the files are not converted on import. Without it, Apple's wording is that the media might be converted, so check which format actually landed on the PC. Two more details from Apple: if iCloud Photos is turned on, you must download the original, full-resolution versions to the iPhone before you import to a Windows PC, and on Windows Apple's steps start with the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store. Sending a photo with AirDrop, Messages or email works differently: Apple says it may be shared in a more compatible format when the other device does not support the newer one. The full cable walkthrough is in transferring iPhone photos to a PC.
How to stop your iPhone from taking HEIC photos
- Open Settings and tap Camera.
- Tap Formats.
- Tap Most Compatible.
From then on, Apple says, new photos and videos use JPEG or H.264. To go back to the space-saving formats, choose High Efficiency in the same place. The option only appears on iPhones and iPads that can capture HEIF or HEVC, and it applies to new photos and videos, so convert the HEIC photos you already have if you need them as JPEG. Apple says HEIF uses less storage space than JPEG, so expect JPEG files to take more room.
Should you keep HEIC or convert it?
Keep HEIC when the photos live inside Apple's ecosystem. iCloud Photos preserves the original format, so nothing is lost and you keep the storage savings. Keep the originals even if you convert copies, because converting to JPG compresses the image again.
Convert when something does not accept HEIC:
- Sharing with people on Windows, Android or a Chromebook, or by email: HEIC to JPG is the safe default.
- Putting a picture on a web page: Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not display HEIC, so use JPG or WebP.
- Needing a lossless copy or transparency: HEIC to PNG.
- Making a document: HEIC to PDF.
- Dozens of photos at once: the batch converter handles a whole folder.
Going the other way, from JPG to HEIC, is possible but rarely worth it; the honest explanation is in convert JPG to HEIC.
Frequently asked questions
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
Not exactly. HEIF is the container standard. HEIC is the extension for HEIF files whose image is compressed with HEVC, which is what Apple devices write. A .heif file can use a different codec.
Why are my iPhone photos suddenly HEIC?
The camera is set to High Efficiency, which Apple recommends for iPhones and iPads that support it. Switch to Most Compatible if you want JPEG.
Is converting HEIC in the browser safe?
Our converters decode the file on your device with a WebAssembly build of libheif, and nothing is uploaded, which you can check in your browser's developer tools or by converting offline. The output does not carry over EXIF metadata, including GPS location. Details are on the About page.
Can I convert JPG to HEIC?
Yes, but not with this site. See convert JPG to HEIC for the methods that work.
Ready to convert?
Use the free HEIC to JPG converter: it runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded and no account is needed.