HEIC vs JPG: What's the Difference and Which Should You Use?
If you've ever emailed an iPhone photo and had the recipient say "I can't open this", you've met HEIC. Here is what the format actually is, what it does better than JPG, and when you should convert.
What HEIC actually is
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's name for a photo stored in the HEIF container using the HEVC (H.265) video codec for compression. Apple made it the default camera format on iPhones and iPads starting with iOS 11 in 2017. Files usually end in .heic, and you will sometimes see .heif as well.
The point of the format is efficiency: HEVC compresses still images far more cleverly than the 1990s-era method JPG relies on. The same photo typically takes up about half the storage, which is why Apple chose it — a phone that shoots thousands of 12-megapixel photos benefits enormously.
HEIC vs JPG side by side
- File size: HEIC files are commonly around 40–50% smaller than a JPG of comparable visual quality.
- Colour depth: JPG is limited to 8 bits per channel. HEIC supports 10-bit and beyond, which gives smoother gradients in skies and shadows and is what makes HDR photos possible.
- Extras: HEIC can store several images in one file (burst shots, Live Photos, depth maps) and can hold transparency. JPG stores exactly one flat image.
- Compatibility: JPG opens on literally everything made in the last 25 years. HEIC opens natively on Apple devices, recent Android versions and current Windows 10/11 (sometimes after installing a codec), but many websites, older software and print kiosks still reject it.
- Licensing: HEVC is patent-encumbered, which is why some software vendors are slow to support it. JPG is free of these problems.
When you should convert to JPG
Keep HEIC while the photo lives on your Apple devices — you get the smaller size and the extra dynamic range for free. Convert to JPG when the photo has to leave that ecosystem:
- Uploading to a government, insurance or job-application portal that only accepts JPG or PNG.
- Sending to someone on an older Windows PC or a device without HEVC support.
- Ordering prints from a shop or kiosk whose software rejects HEIC.
- Editing in older versions of Photoshop, GIMP or a video editor that can't read the format.
Converting is a one-way step in terms of detail: JPG re-compresses the pixels, so avoid converting the same picture back and forth. Keep the original HEIC as your master and convert a copy.
Making your iPhone shoot JPG instead
If most of your photos end up needing conversion, you can change the default. On the iPhone go to Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG (and videos as H.264) from then on. You give up the storage savings, so it is a trade-off worth making only if you regularly share photos with non-Apple systems.
Also worth knowing: when you attach a photo in Mail or Messages, iOS will often convert it to JPG automatically for you. Copying photos to a PC over USB converts them too, as long as Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC is set to Automatic. The problem usually appears when that setting is on “Keep Originals”, or when you share through a cloud folder, and the raw .heic travels along untouched.
A note on privacy when converting
Many online converters upload your photo to a server. A photo can carry your GPS location and the date it was taken, so that is worth pausing over. Our converter decodes the HEIC in your browser and never sends it anywhere. If you want to share the picture without its hidden location data, see our guide on removing EXIF data from photos.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?
Slightly, because JPG uses lossy compression and cannot keep the extra colour depth. At a high quality setting the difference is very hard to see on screen, but the file will usually be larger than the original HEIC.
Is HEIC better than JPG?
Technically yes — smaller files and better colour depth. Practically, JPG wins on compatibility, which is why many people still convert.
Can I convert many HEIC files at once?
With TheHandyKit Pro, yes: drop several files into the converter and download them together as a .zip. The free version converts one photo at a time.
Will the photo's date and location survive the conversion?
Not with our converter. It decodes the photo and redraws it as a new JPG, which doesn't copy the EXIF block, so the date taken, GPS location and camera details are left out. Other converters may keep them, so check if it matters to you.