What Is HEIC?
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is an image format introduced by Apple with iOS 11 in 2017.
When you go to Settings → Camera → Formats on your iPhone and select "High Efficiency," all photos you take are saved in HEIC format.
Why Did Apple Switch from JPG to HEIC?
The reason is simple: smaller file sizes.
HEIC achieves roughly the same image quality as JPG at about half the file size. For smartphone users who take thousands of photos, this translates to significant storage savings.
| Format | Compression | Compatibility | Transparency |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEIC | ◎ Excellent | △ Apple-centric | ○ |
| JPG | ○ Standard | ◎ Universal | × |
| PNG | △ Lower | ◎ Universal | ◎ |
Why Can't Windows Open HEIC Files?
HEIC is a relatively new format, and Windows and Android do not support it by default. This is the root cause of the demand to convert HEIC files to JPG.
Summary
- HEIC is Apple's high-efficiency image format — roughly half the size of JPG
- Near-identical quality with significantly less storage usage
- Not natively supported on Windows or Android, driving the need for conversion
If you need to convert HEIC files right now, use the free tool on this site.