Format guide
HEIC vs JPG (JPEG): What's the Difference?
The Short Answer
- HEIC stores an equivalent-quality photo in roughly half the space of JPG — that's why iPhone and iPad save photos in it by default.
- JPG opens everywhere: every browser, Windows without any add-ons, and every upload form on the web.
- Convert only when you need to share, upload, or open the photo outside Apple's ecosystem.
| Format | How it compresses | Typical file size | Transparency | EXIF data | Opens everywhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEIC | Lossy (HEVC) | Smallest | Yes | Kept | No — Windows needs an extension |
| JPG / JPEG | Lossy | Medium | No | Kept | Yes |
| PNG | Lossless | Largest | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| WebP | Lossy or lossless | Small | Yes | Partial | Most browsers, not all desktop apps |
| HEIF | Container (usually HEVC) | Same as HEIC | Depends | Kept | No — needs support |
What Is HEIC?
HEIC stands for High Efficiency Image Container. It is a file type built on the HEIF standard, which Apple adopted with iOS 11 in 2017 and uses by default on iPhone and iPad ever since. Inside a HEIC file, the image is compressed with HEVC (H.265) — a newer codec that keeps detail while producing a file roughly half the size Apple's JPEG encoder produced. Because HEIF is a container rather than a single codec, one HEIC file can also hold several photos (bursts, Live Photos), depth information, alpha transparency, and a higher bit depth than JPG can store. The trade-off is compatibility: the format needs an operating system or app that knows how to decode it.
What Is JPG (JPEG)?
JPG — also written JPEG, after the Joint Photographic Experts Group that standardised it in 1992 — is the image format the web was built on. That age is exactly why the HEIC vs JPG choice usually ends up being decided by compatibility rather than by image quality. It is a lossy format: saving throws away data the eye is less likely to notice, which is why a JPG can be a tenth the size of a PNG version of the same picture. It is limited to 8-bit colour and has no transparency. Its one clear advantage over HEIC is that nothing has to be installed to read it: every browser, every phone, every desktop OS, and every upload form accepts JPG. Re-saving a JPG repeatedly does accumulate compression damage, so keep the original when you can.
How HEIC Compares to PNG, WebP, and HEIF
PNG is lossless and supports transparency, which makes it the right format for screenshots, logos, and graphics with sharp edges — but a photographic PNG is often several times larger than the same photo as JPG, and most platforms strip or ignore its metadata. WebP, developed by Google, can be lossy or lossless, is smaller than JPG at similar quality, and supports transparency, but a fair number of desktop applications still can't open it. HEIF is the standard, and HEIC is its most common implementation: most .heif files you meet are HEIC, but not all of them are — some use other codecs. If you need one of those formats specifically, see our HEIC to PNG and HEIC to WebP converters.
When to Convert (and When You Don't Need To)
Convert when the file has to leave the Apple world: uploading to a website that rejects HEIC, sending photos to a Windows PC without the HEIF extensions installed, attaching to an email client that won't preview it, or handing files to someone who just needs to open them. Don't convert just to save space — HEIC is already the smaller format, and converting to JPG makes the file bigger. Don't convert if you plan to keep editing: the original retains more colour and depth data, so edit the HEIC first and export a JPG at the end.
How to Convert HEIC to JPG
Open our HEIC to JPG converter, drop the file in, and download the JPG. The conversion runs entirely in the browser on your own device — nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and the file limit is 5 MB per image. If a photo is larger than that, crop it or take a screenshot of it first, then convert.
For the other output formats, the HEIC converter on the home page runs the same way.
FAQ
Is HEIC better quality than JPG?
Not by itself — both are lossy. At the same visual quality HEIC is a smaller file, and it can store more colour depth and extra data such as depth maps. A high-quality JPG export looks the same to the eye in almost every case.
Can I just rename .heic to .jpg?
No. Changing the extension doesn't change what is inside the file, so most programs will still fail to open it or show an error. The file has to be actually converted.
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
Some, because JPG is lossy — but at high quality settings the difference isn't visible, and shooting data such as date, camera model, and GPS location is carried over. Taking a screenshot and then converting loses far more.
Why do iPhones save photos as HEIC?
To fit more photos in the same storage without visibly reducing quality. You can switch to JPG in Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible; new photos will then be saved as JPG.