What is a HEIC file?
A HEIC file is a photo saved in the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) with HEVC compression, the default on iPhones since iOS 11. It stores a picture at roughly half the file size of a JPG with similar quality, but many Windows apps and websites cannot open it directly.
HEIC is Apple's name for images stored in the HEIF standard (High Efficiency Image File Format, ISO/IEC 23008-12) using HEVC, also called H.265, for compression. Apple made it the default camera format in 2017 with iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra.
Besides smaller files, HEIC supports a wider colour depth than JPG's 8 bits, transparency, depth maps and storing several images in one file, which is how Live Photos and burst sequences are kept.
The downside is compatibility. Older versions of Windows, many online forms, and some print services only accept JPG or PNG, so people often convert HEIC photos before sharing them.
Convert HEIC to JPG →More questions
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
HEIF is the container standard. HEIC is the common file extension when that container holds images compressed with HEVC.
Can Android open HEIC?
Android 9 and newer can decode HEIF images, and many gallery apps display them, but sharing to other apps may still require JPG.
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Last updated 9 October 2026. Published by ARTH, the studio behind ARTH Convert.