HEIC is a newer photo format that takes up less storage space than older formats

An HEIC file is a photo format — a way of storing and compressing image data. HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. If you own an iPhone or iPad made after 2017, your device saves photos in HEIC format by default instead of the older JPEG format. The main difference you'll notice is that HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPEG files, which means your phone stores more photos before running out of space.

The trade-off is that not every program, website, or device recognizes HEIC files yet. If you try to upload an HEIC photo to an older website, email it to someone with an Android phone, or open it on a Windows computer, you may run into a wall. This is the real reason people ask about HEIC — not because the format is broken, but because it doesn't work everywhere the way JPEG does.

Key Takeaways

  • HEIC is a photo format that Apple devices use by default, and it stores images in roughly half the file size of JPEG.
  • Many older websites, email services, and non-Apple devices do not recognize HEIC files, which can prevent you from uploading or sharing them.
  • You can change your iPhone or iPad to save photos as JPEG instead of HEIC in the camera settings if you need broader compatibility.
  • Converting an HEIC file to JPEG is straightforward on a Mac, and several free online tools can do the conversion on Windows or without special software.

Why Apple switched to HEIC instead of sticking with JPEG

JPEG has been the standard photo format since 1992. It works on every device, every website, and every operating system. But JPEG compresses photos in a way that loses some detail, and the file sizes are large by modern standards. Apple developed HEIC to compress photos more efficiently — keeping more detail while using less storage.

For someone with an iPhone that stores thousands of photos, this matters. An HEIC photo takes up roughly 50 percent less space than the same photo saved as JPEG. Over hundreds or thousands of images, that difference adds up to gigabytes of freed storage. Apple also built HEIC to handle video and multiple images in a single file, making it more flexible than JPEG for modern phones.

The problem is that HEIC is still relatively new. Many websites built before 2020 don't recognize it. Some email services reject it. Android phones don't use it. Windows computers don't open it without extra software. So while HEIC is technically better, JPEG remains more compatible — and compatibility often matters more than efficiency.

When HEIC causes problems and when it doesn't

HEIC files work fine if you stay within Apple's ecosystem. If you take a photo on your iPhone, edit it on your Mac, and share it with another iPhone user, everything works smoothly. The problems start when you try to move the file outside that world.

Common places where HEIC fails: older social media websites (Facebook and Instagram now accept it, but some smaller platforms don't), email services that scan attachments, document upload forms on government or banking websites, and any Windows computer without special software installed. If you email an HEIC photo to someone with an Android phone, they may not be able to open it. If you try to upload an HEIC file to a website built before 2019, the upload may be rejected or the photo may not display.

You won't know it's an HEIC problem until it happens. The file won't upload, or it will upload but show as a broken image, or the recipient will say they can't open it. At that point, you need to convert it to JPEG.

How to change your iPhone or iPad to save photos as JPEG

If you want to avoid HEIC compatibility problems altogether, you can tell your iPhone or iPad to save photos as JPEG instead. Open the Settings app, tap Camera, then tap Formats. You'll see two options: High Efficiency (which is HEIC) and Most Compatible (which is JPEG). Tap Most Compatible.

From that point forward, every new photo you take will be saved as JPEG. This uses more storage space, but it means your photos will work everywhere without conversion. Photos you already took in HEIC format stay in HEIC format — this setting only affects new photos.

Note that this setting applies only to photos taken with your phone's camera. Screenshots and photos saved from the web or email may still be HEIC, depending on where they came from.

Converting HEIC files to JPEG on a Mac

If you have a Mac, the conversion is built in. Open the HEIC file in the Preview app (the default photo viewer on Mac), then go to File and click Export. In the dialog that appears, change the format dropdown from HEIC to JPEG, choose where to save the file, and click Save. You now have a JPEG version of the photo.

You can also convert multiple photos at once. Select all the HEIC files you want to convert in Finder, right-click, and choose Open With, then Preview. Once they're all open in Preview, go to File, then Export, and Preview will convert and save all of them as JPEG files in the folder you choose.

Converting HEIC files to JPEG on Windows or without special software

Windows doesn't recognize HEIC files by default, so you have two options: use an online converter or install software that reads HEIC.

For an online converter, search "HEIC to JPEG converter" in your web browser. Several free tools appear — CloudConvert, Online-Convert, and Convertio are common ones. Upload your HEIC file, select JPEG as the output format, and read the converted file. This takes about one minute and requires no software installation. The trade-off is that you're uploading your photo to a stranger's server, so don't use this method for private or sensitive images.

If you prefer not to upload files to the internet, you can install software on your Windows computer that opens HEIC files. Microsoft's Photos app (built into Windows 10 and later) can open HEIC files if you install the HEIC Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store — search for it by name and install it for free. Once installed, right-click an HEIC file, choose Open With, select Photos, and then use Photos' built-in export feature to save it as JPEG.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I tell if a photo is HEIC or JPEG just by looking at it?

No — the image looks identical on screen. The only way to know is to check the filename. HEIC files end in .heic, while JPEG files end in .jpg or .jpeg. On a Mac, you can also right-click the file, choose Get Info, and look at the file type. On Windows, right-click, choose Properties, and check the file type listed there.

If I convert an HEIC file to JPEG, does it lose quality?

Some quality is lost, but you won't notice it in most photos. HEIC compresses more efficiently than JPEG, so converting to JPEG means re-compressing the image. However, the loss is small enough that it's invisible to the human eye in typical photos. If you're printing large photos or doing professional editing, the difference might matter — but for sharing online or email, it's negligible.

Why doesn't Android use HEIC?

Android phones use formats like JPEG and WebP instead. Google developed WebP as a more efficient alternative to JPEG, similar to what Apple did with HEIC. Different manufacturers choose different formats, and there's no single standard across all Android phones the way there is for iPhones.

Will HEIC eventually replace JPEG everywhere?

Possibly, but it's slow. HEIC is more efficient and technically superior, but JPEG's 30-year head start means it's built into billions of devices and websites. Adoption is growing — major platforms like Instagram and Facebook now accept HEIC — but older systems and smaller services may never support it. For now, JPEG remains the safest choice when you need maximum compatibility.