HEIC vs JPG: Apple High Efficiency vs Universal Image Format
Compare Apple's default iPhone camera format (HEIC) against standard JPEG. File size, photo quality, compatibility, and conversion guide.
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's standard photo capture format based on HEVC (H.265). It cuts JPEG file sizes in half while preserving 16-bit color, live photo bursts, and depth maps, but lacks universal Windows and Android viewing support.
| FEATURE | HEIC | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying Compression | HEVC (H.265) | Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) |
| File Size Ratio | ~50% of JPG | Baseline (100%) |
| Color Depth | Up to 16-bit | 8-bit only |
| Multiple Frames / Burst | Yes (Live Photos, bursts) | No (Single frame only) |
| Native Windows Support | Requires paid HEVC extension | Universal |
| Native Web Browser Support | Limited (Safari only) | Universal |
- Approximately 50% smaller file size than JPEG at identical visual quality
- Supports 16-bit color depth (compared to JPEG's 8-bit limit)
- Stores multiple photos, Live Photo videos, and depth maps in one container
- Lossless editing capability (stores rotation and crops non-destructively)
- Opens natively on 100% of devices, browsers, and operating systems
- Zero conversion or compatibility issues when emailing or uploading to portals
- Universal support in print shops and web content management systems
Capture in HEIC on iPhone to maximize device storage and dynamic range. Convert to JPG or WebP whenever sharing to Windows PCs, uploading to websites, or submitting documents.
Converting files between HEIC and JPG frequently? The convrtr Chrome Extension lets you right-click any image on any webpage or open the Side Panel to convert assets instantly using local WebAssembly with zero server uploads.