HEIC / HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format)
HEIC is the format an iPhone uses by default, storing photos at roughly half the size of an equivalent JPG.
- File extension
- .heic, .heif, .hif
- MIME type
- image/heic
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- Yes, full alpha channel
- Animation
- No
- Type
- Raster (pixels)
Where HEIC files come from
Photos taken on an iPhone or iPad with default camera settings.
Native on Apple devices, awkward on Windows, and refused by most upload forms — the single most common reason people convert an image.
What HEIC is good at
- About half the file size of JPG at the same visual quality
- Keeps depth maps, Live Photo data, HDR and wide colour
- Saves a great deal of space on your phone
Where HEIC falls short
- Windows needs a paid codec from the Microsoft Store to even preview it
- Rejected by most websites, upload forms and older software
- Patent-encumbered, which is why support outside Apple is so poor
Should you use HEIC?
Use it for photographs, where its compression is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Avoid it for screenshots, diagrams and anything containing text — flat colour and sharp edges are precisely what lossy compression handles worst.
Convert from HEIC
Frequently asked questions
What is HEIC / HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format)?
HEIC is the format an iPhone uses by default, storing photos at roughly half the size of an equivalent JPG. Native on Apple devices, awkward on Windows, and refused by most upload forms — the single most common reason people convert an image.
How do I open HEIC files?
Any tool that lists HEIC support will open one. If yours will not, the quickest fix is to convert it to a format your software already understands — the converters linked on this page do that in your browser without uploading the file.
Is HEIC lossy or lossless?
HEIC is lossy: it discards detail the eye is unlikely to notice in exchange for a much smaller file. Every re-save loses a little more, so keep an untouched original if the image matters.
Does HEIC support transparency?
Yes, HEIC carries a full alpha channel, so soft edges and drop shadows survive intact. Converting to a format without alpha — JPG most commonly — flattens those areas onto a solid colour.