HEIC Format: What It Is and How to Convert It

Since iOS 11 (2017), Apple has stored iPhone photos in HEIC format by default. If you have ever transferred photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC and found files with a .heic extension that nothing could open, you have encountered this format. Here is everything you need to know.

What is HEIC?

HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It is a container format based on the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) standard, and it uses the HEVC (H.265) video codec for image compression. Apple adopted it for two reasons:

• Smaller files: HEIC photos are roughly half the file size of equivalent JPEG photos at the same visual quality
• Better quality at small sizes: HEIC preserves finer detail, especially in shadows and highlights

Technically, HEIC also supports live photos, image sequences, HDR, and 16-bit colour depth, capabilities that JPEG cannot match.

Why is HEIC a problem?

The format's main weakness is compatibility. HEIC is not a web standard and is not natively supported on Windows (without a codec), Android, or most Linux systems. Browsers do not support it. Web servers cannot serve it. Uploading a .heic file to a website will likely fail or display incorrectly.

How to avoid HEIC on iPhone

If you want your iPhone to capture in JPEG (for broader compatibility), change the camera setting:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Camera
3. Tap Formats
4. Select Most Compatible (JPEG) instead of "High Efficiency"

Note: this reduces photo quality slightly and increases file sizes, the tradeoff for universal compatibility.

How to convert HEIC to JPEG or PNG

On Mac

Open the HEIC file in Preview, then choose File → Export and select JPEG or PNG from the Format dropdown. macOS handles the conversion natively.

On Windows

Install the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store. Once installed, Windows Photos can open HEIC files, and you can export to JPEG via right-click.

Online conversion

Upload your HEIC file to an online converter and download the JPEG or PNG result. No software installation required, ideal for one-off conversions.

Bulk conversion on Mac (command line)

# Convert all HEIC files in a folder to JPEG
for f in *.heic; do
  sips -s format jpeg "$f" --out "${f%.heic}.jpg"
done

HEIC vs JPEG vs WebP: quick comparison