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What is an HEIC file?
The default photo format on iPhones since iOS 11. HEIC files are about half the size of JPG, but Windows, Android apps and many websites cannot open them.
Pros
- Half the size of JPG at similar quality
- Stores depth maps and Live Photo data
Cons
- Not accepted by many websites, Windows apps and printers
How to open HEIC files
Recent versions of Windows, macOS and most browsers can open it (Windows needs the free HEIF extension). Otherwise, convert it to JPG or PNG.
Is HEIC lossy or lossless?
HEIC is normally lossy; at high quality settings the difference is invisible for photos.
When should you convert HEIC?
HEIC files are about half the size of JPG, but Windows, Android apps and many websites cannot open them. If the app or device you need doesn't accept HEIC, convert it to JPG or PNG — the most widely supported alternatives.
Convert HEIC to…
HEIC at a glance
- Full name
- High Efficiency Image Container
- Developed by
- MPEG (adopted by Apple in iOS 11)
- Introduced
- 2015
- Contains
- HEVC (H.265) intra-frame compression
- MIME type
- image/heic
- Best for
- iPhone and iPad photos