HEIC vs JPG: which photo format should you use?
If you’ve ever emailed an iPhone photo and the recipient couldn’t open it, you’ve met HEIC. Here is what it is, why phones use it, and when to convert.
What is HEIC?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) stores photos using the HEVC video codec. Apple made it the default iPhone photo format in iOS 11, and many Android phones can use it too. Its big advantage is size: a HEIC photo is typically around half the size of a JPG of similar quality, so your phone holds roughly twice as many pictures.
What is JPG?
JPG (or JPEG) has been the standard photo format since the early 1990s. It is less efficient than HEIC, but practically every device, app, website, printer and email client opens it.
Side by side
| HEIC | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Smaller (about half) | Larger |
| Compatibility | Apple devices, recent Android; limited on Windows and the web | Universal |
| Colour depth | Up to 16-bit | 8-bit |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| Live Photos / bursts | Can store multiple images | One image per file |
When to convert HEIC to JPG
- Uploading to websites, job portals or government forms that only accept JPG.
- Sharing with Windows users or older software.
- Sending photos to a print shop.
Make your iPhone shoot JPG instead
Go to Settings › Camera › Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos will be saved as JPG. They will take up more storage, so many people keep HEIC and convert only when needed. When sharing from the Photos app, iPhones also convert to JPG automatically in many cases.