What Is HEIC / HEIF?
HEIC is Apple's default image format for iPhones, delivering 50% smaller files than JPG while preserving higher quality and supporting depth data.
HEIC / HEIF explained
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is a file format based on the HEIF standard that uses HEVC (H.265) compression. Apple adopted it as the default photo format on iOS 11 and later because it produces files roughly 50% smaller than JPG at the same visual quality. HEIC also supports 16-bit color depth, Live Photos, depth maps, and image sequences within a single file. The main drawback is limited compatibility outside the Apple ecosystem — Windows, Android, and most web browsers require conversion or special decoders to open HEIC files, which makes converting HEIC to JPG or PNG a common need.
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Related terms
AVIF is a next-generation image format based on the AV1 video codec, offering the best compression efficiency available today while being royalty-free.
EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) is a standard for storing camera settings, GPS location, and technical details inside photo files.
An ICC color profile is a standardized data set that describes how a device (monitor, printer, camera) reproduces colors, ensuring consistent color across workflows.
Lossy compression reduces file size by permanently discarding data deemed less perceptible, trading some quality for significantly smaller files.