JPG vs HEIC
How do JPG and HEICcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.jpg
Full guide →Joint Photographic Experts Group
JPG (also known as JPEG) is the most widely used image format for photographs and complex images. It uses lossy compression to significantly reduce file size while maintaining acceptable visual quality.
.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 | JPG | HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joint Photographic Experts Group | High Efficiency Image Container |
| Extension | .jpg | .heic |
| MIME type | image/jpeg | image/heic |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Developer | Joint Photographic Experts Group | MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) |
| Year introduced | 1992 | 2015 |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
JPG advantages
- Very small file sizes for photographs
- Universally supported everywhere
- Adjustable compression quality
- Ideal for web and email sharing
JPG limitations
- Lossy compression — quality degrades with each save
- No transparency support
- Not suitable for text or sharp-edge graphics
- Artifacts visible at high compression
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 JPG and HEIC have their strengths. JPG excels at photography and photo sharing, while HEIC is better for iphone and ipad photography.
Best uses for JPG
Best uses for HEIC
Convert between JPG and HEIC
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.