Glossary · HEIC / HEIF
What is HEIC (HEIF)? The photo format explained
Short answer
HEIC is an image file that uses the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) container with HEVC compression inside. It stores the same visual quality as JPEG in less space, and it can hold extras such as depth maps and image sequences. Apple made it the iPhone default in iOS 11; Android reads HEIF from Android 9.
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What is the difference between HEIF and HEIC?
HEIF is the container standard, published by MPEG as ISO/IEC 23008-12. It defines how images, thumbnails and metadata are packed into one file. HEIC is the common name for HEIF files whose images are compressed with HEVC (H.265), the same codec used for 4K video. The .heic extension is what you see on iPhone photos and on some Android cameras that offer a "high efficiency" option.
The same container can carry other codecs. AVIF, for example, uses the AV1 codec inside a HEIF-style file.
A HEIF file can also bundle several images. iPhones use this for depth data in portrait shots, and some cameras store a burst inside a single container. Apps that only read the first image show the main picture and ignore the rest.
How does HEIC compare with JPEG?
| HEIC | JPEG | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | HEVC, more efficient | DCT-based, from the early 1990s |
| Typical size at similar quality | Smaller, often around half | Baseline |
| Colour depth | Up to 10-bit and beyond | 8-bit |
| Extras | Depth maps, bursts, transparency | Single image |
| Compatibility | Good on newer devices, patchy on old PCs and websites | Universal |
If you want the smallest files with good quality, HEIC wins. If you share with many people or upload to old websites, JPEG is still the safer choice.
The size saving comes from smarter prediction. HEVC compresses blocks of varying size and predicts each block from its neighbours, while JPEG works on fixed 8x8 blocks. Smooth areas such as sky and skin gain the most, and busy textures gain less.
Does Android support HEIC?
Android's media documentation lists HEIF decoding from Android 9 and encoding from Android 10, though both are optional for device makers. Recent Samsung and Pixel phones open HEIC files in their galleries, and Google Photos displays them. Samsung cameras offer a "High efficiency pictures" toggle that saves new photos as HEIC.
Converting a library of HEIC files to JPEG makes them larger, so it rarely frees space. Converting is worth it only for files you share with older software. For space, removing extra copies does more; see freeing up photo space on Android.
Sharing is where HEIC causes friction. Many Android share sheets and chat apps convert a HEIC to JPEG on the way out, which keeps the recipient happy but also means the copy they receive is a different, larger or more compressed file.
Google Photos and most Android editors can export a HEIC as JPEG one photo at a time, which is the simplest fix when a single website rejects the file.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my iPhone photos HEIC on my Android phone?
iPhones save HEIC by default. On the iPhone, Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible switches new photos to JPEG.
Does Google Photos keep HEIC files as HEIC?
In Original quality it stores the file as uploaded. Storage saver may re-compress photos larger than 16 MP.
Will switching my Android camera to HEIC free space?
Only for new photos. It does not shrink existing JPEGs, and some phones turn off certain shooting modes when HEIC is on.
Sources
- Apple Support: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices (checked 31 October 2026)
- Android Developers: Supported media formats (checked 31 October 2026)
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