BMP vs HEIC
How do BMP and HEICcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.bmp
Full guide →Bitmap Image File
BMP is an uncompressed raster image format native to Windows. While it produces very large files, BMP preserves every pixel with zero quality loss, making it useful for raw image data and legacy applications.
.heic
Full guide →High Efficiency Image Container
HEIC is Apple's preferred image format, used by iPhones and iPads since iOS 11. It delivers significantly better compression than JPG while maintaining higher quality, but compatibility remains limited outside the Apple ecosystem.
| Specification | BMP | HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bitmap Image File | High Efficiency Image Container |
| Extension | .bmp | .heic |
| MIME type | image/bmp | image/heic |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Developer | Microsoft | MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) |
| Year introduced | 1986 | 2015 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
BMP advantages
- Zero quality loss — completely uncompressed
- Simple format, easy to read and write
- Native Windows support
- No compression artifacts
BMP limitations
- Very large file sizes
- No transparency support in most versions
- Not suitable for web use
- Outdated format for most modern applications
HEIC advantages
- 50% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality
- Supports transparency and depth maps
- Live Photos and image sequences
- 16-bit color depth
HEIC limitations
- Limited compatibility outside Apple devices
- Not natively supported by most web browsers
- Requires special decoders on Windows/Android
- Patent-encumbered format
Which should you use?
Both BMP and HEIC have their strengths. BMP excels at legacy windows applications, while HEIC is better for iphone and ipad photography.
Best uses for BMP
Best uses for HEIC
Convert between BMP and HEIC
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.