What is HEIC and why does Apple use it?
In 2017, Apple switched the iPhone camera from JPEG to a format called HEIC — High Efficiency Image Container. The reason was simple: HEIC files are roughly 50% smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality. On a 64GB iPhone, that difference is enormous — it means thousands more photos before you run out of space.
HEIC is based on the HEIF standard (High Efficiency Image Format), developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group — the same organisation behind MP4 video. Apple adopted it early and aggressively, which created a wave of compatibility problems that still frustrates people in 2026.
The compatibility problem
The issue is that HEIC is not universally supported. When you try to open or share an iPhone photo on Windows, send it to an Android user, upload it to a website, or attach it to an email read on older devices, you'll often get an error or a blank placeholder instead of your photo.
HEIC is technically superior to JPEG — but "superior" doesn't matter if the person receiving your photo can't open it.
Windows 10 and 11 require you to install a separate codec from the Microsoft Store to open HEIC files. Most Android phones still don't support HEIC natively. Many web platforms — including some social networks — quietly convert HEIC to JPEG on upload, introducing quality loss without telling you.
HEIC vs JPEG: the actual differences
File size
A typical iPhone photo in HEIC is 1.5–3MB. The same photo in JPEG is 3–6MB. HEIC wins by roughly 50% — which is why Apple made the switch.
Image quality
At equivalent file sizes, HEIC actually looks better than JPEG. HEIC supports 16-bit colour depth vs JPEG's 8-bit, meaning smoother gradients, better highlight retention, and more detail in shadows.
Compatibility
JPEG wins here overwhelmingly. Every device, browser, app, and platform built since 1992 supports JPEG. HEIC is still a minority format outside the Apple ecosystem.
Editing support
Most professional photo editing tools (Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Affinity Photo) now support HEIC. But many simpler tools — Microsoft Paint, older Photoshop versions, basic web editors — still don't.
When should you convert HEIC to JPG?
- Sharing with Windows users — they likely can't open HEIC without installing extra software
- Uploading to websites — many platforms reject HEIC or silently degrade quality
- Sending to Android users — HEIC support on Android is inconsistent
- Long-term archiving — JPEG has a 30+ year track record of universal support
- Printing services — most online print labs only accept JPEG or PNG
How to stop your iPhone taking HEIC photos
Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and select Most Compatible. Your iPhone will shoot in JPEG from that point forward. You'll lose the storage efficiency of HEIC, but your photos will open everywhere without conversion.
For photos you've already taken in HEIC, you need to convert them — which is exactly what my free tool does.