HEIC vs JPG: Size, Quality and When to Use Each

HEIC and JPG are both photo formats, and the short version is: HEIC is more efficient, JPG is more compatible. Apple says HEIF (the format behind .heic files) compresses better than JPEG, so photos take less storage at the same visual quality. But many websites, forms, Windows apps and older devices can't open HEIC, while JPG opens almost everywhere. Keep HEIC for your own library and convert to JPG when you need to share or upload, for example with EveryApp's HEIC to JPG converter.

Side by side

	HEIC	JPG
Who uses it	iPhones and iPads by default (iPhone 7 and later), some Android phones	Almost every camera, phone and app
File size	Smaller at the same visible quality	Larger for the same quality
Quality	Very good; can store more colour depth	Very good at high settings; 8 bits per colour
Transparency	Supported by the format	Not supported
Opens on iPhone, iPad, Mac	Yes (iOS 11 / macOS High Sierra and later)	Yes
Opens on Windows	Only with extra extensions	Yes
Website and form uploads	Often rejected	Almost always accepted
Editing apps	Growing support	Universal

HEIC files can also hold more than one image and extra data, which is how iPhones store things like depth information for Portrait mode. JPG holds one picture.

File size: how much space HEIC saves

Apple's own description is that HEIF and HEVC offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less storage space on your device and in iCloud Photos, with the same visual quality. In practice, a typical iPhone photo saved as HEIC is noticeably smaller than the same photo as a JPG, which adds up across thousands of photos.

The flip side: converting a HEIC to JPG makes the file bigger, not smaller. If you're converting only to save space, don't. If you need a JPG and also a small file (say, for an online form with a 100 KB limit), convert first and then shrink it with the free image compressor. Resize 24 or 48 megapixel photos first with the free image resizer, because the compressor can't open images above about 16.7 megapixels.

Quality: is HEIC better than JPG?

At normal viewing sizes, both look excellent. HEIC's advantage is that it reaches the same visible quality in fewer bytes, and the format can store more colour depth, which helps with smooth gradients like skies. A JPG saved at high quality looks practically identical on a phone or laptop screen.

Converting HEIC to a high-quality JPG loses very little. EveryApp's converter saves high-quality JPGs at full size, the right way up, so for everyday use you won't see a difference. Repeatedly editing and re-saving a JPG does wear it down a little each time; do your edits, then save once.

Compatibility: where HEIC causes trouble

HEIC's weak spot is everywhere outside Apple's world:

• Government, exam and job forms almost always ask for JPG (often written JPEG).
• Windows PCs need extra extensions to open HEIC; see our guide to HEIC to JPG on Windows.
• Many websites and web browsers can't display HEIC.
• Older Android phones, smart TVs and photo frames may not open them.
• Print shops usually want JPG.

When you share from an iPhone to many apps, iOS often converts to JPG automatically. Files sent by AirDrop, cable, USB or some cloud folders may stay as HEIC, which is when people run into problems.

When to keep HEIC

• Your phone storage is tight and you mainly view photos on Apple devices.
• You back up to iCloud Photos and want to use less of your plan.
• You shoot a lot of photos and convert only the few you share.

When to use JPG

• You regularly upload photos to forms, websites or marketplaces.
• You share photos with Windows users, older devices or print shops.
• You edit in software that doesn't read HEIC.
• You want one format that will open everywhere in 20 years.

How to switch or convert

To take JPGs from now on: on an iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPEG; they'll take more space.

To convert existing HEIC photos:

• On a Mac, Preview's File > Export with Format set to JPEG works well; see how to convert HEIC to JPG on a Mac.
• Online, from any browser, the HEIC to JPG converter takes JPGs from HEIC photos up to 30 MB each. It's free for up to 5 photos at once, and Pro takes up to 50 and returns a ZIP. Photos are deleted as soon as they're converted, and results are kept for 1 hour.

For more on the format itself, read what a HEIC file is. For other format choices, see JPG vs PNG and WebP vs PNG vs JPG.

Convert when you need to share

Keep HEIC on your phone for the space savings, and convert the photos you need to send or upload. The HEIC to JPG converter does it online from any computer; it's free for up to 5 photos at once.