4 min read · Updated April 2026
HEIC vs JPG: what's the difference?
HEIC and JPG both store photos, but they handle compression, quality, and compatibility very differently. Here's what matters.
What is HEIC?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's default camera format since iOS 11. It uses the HEVC codec (the same compression tech behind 4K video) to store images at roughly half the file size of an equivalent JPG, without visible quality loss.
A typical iPhone photo saved as HEIC lands around 1.5–3 MB. The same shot saved as JPG would be 3–6 MB. That difference adds up fast when you have 10,000 photos on your phone.
HEIC also supports features JPG never had: 16-bit color depth (vs JPG's 8-bit), live photos, depth maps, and transparency. If you shoot in Portrait mode, the depth data lives inside the HEIC file.
What is JPG?
JPG (also written JPEG) has been the standard photo format since 1992. It works everywhere: Windows, Android, web browsers, social platforms, design tools, printers. When someone says "send me a photo," they expect a JPG.
JPG uses lossy compression. Every time you save a JPG, it discards some image data. Save the same file ten times and quality degrades noticeably. HEIC is also lossy but handles it more efficiently.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | HEIC | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression efficiency | 2x better | Standard |
| Visual quality (same file size) | Higher | Lower |
| Compatibility | Apple devices + newer Windows | Universal |
| Transparency support | Yes | No |
| Color depth | 16-bit | 8-bit |
| Browser support | Safari only | All browsers |
| Social media upload | Often re-encoded | Native support |
When to keep photos as HEIC
Stay in HEIC if your photos live in an Apple ecosystem: iPhone, iPad, Mac, iCloud. You save real storage space, the photos look better, and everything works without any conversion step.
If you shoot Portrait mode or use Live Photos, HEIC preserves that data. Converting to JPG strips it out permanently.
When to convert HEIC to JPG
Convert when you need the file to work somewhere outside Apple's world. Sharing with Android users, uploading to a web form, sending to a photo lab, attaching to an email for a Windows user, publishing to a website. JPG just works in all of those situations.
Windows 10 and 11 can open HEIC files if you install the HEVC Video Extensions codec from the Microsoft Store, but it's not installed by default. Don't assume the person you're sending to has it.
How to convert HEIC to JPG
On a Mac, open the HEIC file in Preview, choose File > Export, and pick JPEG from the format dropdown. On iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and switch to "Most Compatible" to capture new photos as JPG instead.
For batch conversions or one-off files without installing anything, use the tool below. It converts in your browser, so your photos don't go anywhere.
HEIC to JPG converter
Convert HEIC photos to JPG in your browser. No upload, no account, no file size limit.
Try it free