Format reference · .heic .heif
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC is the photo format iPhones and iPads use by default. It stores images compressed with the HEVC (H.265) video codec inside a HEIF container, keeping photos roughly half the size of a comparable JPG. Apple devices open it natively; many other systems don’t.
HEIF, HEIC and why Apple adopted it
HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) is a container standardized by the MPEG group in 2015. It can hold one image or many, along with thumbnails, depth maps and metadata. HEIC is the name for HEIF files whose images are compressed with HEVC, the codec also used for 4K video. You may see both .heic and .heif extensions; for photos from an iPhone they are effectively the same thing.
Apple switched the iPhone camera to HEIC with iOS 11 in 2017. The goal was storage: at similar quality a HEIC photo takes much less space than a JPG, which matters when a phone holds tens of thousands of pictures. Many Android phones can also capture HEIF, usually as an option rather than the default.
How HEIC compression works
HEVC coding divides the image into blocks of up to 64×64 pixels and subdivides detailed areas into smaller ones. Each block is predicted from neighboring pixels using one of 35 modes, and only the difference is transformed and quantized. Two filters after decoding smooth block edges and reduce ringing. This flexibility is why HEIC holds detail better than JPG at the same file size.
iPhone photos are typically stored as a grid of smaller tiles that are decoded and stitched back together. The format also supports more than 8 bits per channel and can carry extra images alongside the main one, such as depth data for Portrait mode or information used for HDR display.
Transparency, bursts and Live Photos
The HEIF specification allows an alpha channel and image sequences, but camera photos don’t use transparency, and HEIC is rarely used for animation. A Live Photo is a HEIC still plus a separate short video file; converting the HEIC gives you only the still image.
Support in 2026: why HEIC won’t open
On iPhone, iPad and Mac, HEIC just works, and Safari can display it. Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not support HEIC images, largely because of HEVC patent licensing. That is why many websites and upload forms refuse HEIC files.
Windows 10 and 11 can open HEIC only after installing the HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store; the HEVC extension may be paid, though some PCs ship with it. Recent Android versions can open HEIF files. Our guide to opening HEIC on Windows walks through the options.
Converting HEIC and avoiding it in future
HEIC to JPG is the most compatible fix; use HEIC to PNG if you want a lossless copy to edit. Pixellin decodes HEIC in your browser with a WebAssembly build of libheif, a one-time download of about 3 MB the first time you add a HEIC file. Your photos are never uploaded. The converted files don’t keep EXIF metadata such as GPS location, and orientation is applied to the pixels.
To stop creating HEIC, set the iPhone camera to Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible, which saves JPG. Alternatively, Settings › Photos › Transfer to Mac or PC › Automatic converts photos to JPG when you copy them over USB, while keeping HEIC on the phone.
Use HEIC for
- Storing large photo libraries on iPhone and iPad
- Keeping detail and HDR information at a small size
- Sharing between Apple devices
- Portrait photos that need embedded depth data
Avoid HEIC for
- Uploading to websites and online forms
- Sharing with Windows or Android users who may not open it
- Using images directly on web pages
- Sending to print services and photo labs
HEIC questions
Why are my iPhone photos HEIC instead of JPG?
Since iOS 11, the iPhone camera saves in HEIC by default because the files take much less storage at similar quality. You can switch to JPG under Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible. Photos already taken stay HEIC unless you convert them.
How do I open a HEIC file on Windows?
Install the HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store, then Photos can open it. If you’d rather not install anything, convert the file to JPG in your browser. Pixellin does this locally, so the photo isn’t uploaded anywhere.
Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?
JPG is lossy, so a small amount of detail is approximated again, but at a high quality setting such as Pixellin’s default of 90 the difference is very hard to see. The JPG will usually be larger than the HEIC because JPG compression is less efficient.
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
HEIF is the container format; HEIC is HEIF with images compressed by HEVC. Apple devices write .heic files. The .heif extension is sometimes used for the same kind of file or for HEIF files using other codecs. Most converters treat both the same way.
Will the date and location survive conversion?
Not with Pixellin. Converted files don’t carry EXIF metadata, so the camera details, date taken and GPS location are removed. That is useful for privacy when posting online. If you need that information, check it first with the EXIF viewer or keep the original HEIC.