HEIC vs JPG: What iPhone Users Need to Know

What is HEIC?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the image format Apple adopted for iPhones starting with iOS 11 in 2017. It's based on the HEIF standard (High Efficiency Image Format) and uses the HEVC (H.265) video codec for compression.

The result is dramatically smaller file sizes compared to JPEG — roughly 50% smaller at the same visual quality. For a phone that takes thousands of photos, this saves significant storage space.

Why does my iPhone use HEIC?

Apple switched to HEIC as the default camera format because it saves storage space. A 12-megapixel photo that would be 3–5 MB as a JPEG is only 1.5–2.5 MB as HEIC. Over thousands of photos, that adds up to gigabytes of saved space.

HEIC also supports features JPEG can't: up to 10-bit colour depth (vs 8-bit for JPEG), transparency, and the ability to store multiple images in one file (used for Live Photos and burst shots).

The compatibility problem

HEIC works great within the Apple ecosystem. The problem starts when you try to use HEIC files elsewhere:

• Windows: Windows 10/11 can open HEIC if you install the HEVC codec from the Microsoft Store (sometimes paid). Without it, photos show as blank icons.
• Web uploads:Many websites, CMS platforms, and form uploads don't accept HEIC. You'll get an “unsupported format” error.
• Image editors:Photoshop supports HEIC, but many other editors (especially free ones) don't.
• Android:Support varies by manufacturer and Android version. It's not universal.
• Printing services: Most online print shops require JPEG or PNG.

Option 1: Change your iPhone settings

You can tell your iPhone to shoot in JPEG instead of HEIC. Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and select Most Compatible. This switches to JPEG for photos and H.264 for video.

The downside is larger files. If storage is tight, keeping HEIC and converting only when needed is a better approach.

Option 2: Let Apple auto-convert on share

When you AirDrop, email, or share via the iOS share sheet, Apple automatically converts HEIC to JPEG for the recipient. This works well for casual sharing but doesn't help when you need to upload files to a website or work with them on a computer.

Option 3: Convert HEIC to JPG or PNG

The most flexible solution is to convert HEIC files when you need to. FlipFiles handles this in your browser — no software to install, no upload to any server. Your photos stay on your device the entire time, which matters when you're dealing with personal photos.

HEIC to JPG is the most common conversion since JPG is universally supported. Choose HEIC to PNG if you need lossless quality.

HEIC vs JPG at a glance