If your iPhone takes photos in HEIC but you need to share them with Windows users, upload them to a website, or open them in design software, you've likely run into problems. Understanding what separates HEIC from JPG helps you decide when to convert and when not to.
The Short Answer
HEIC is technically superior to JPG in almost every measurable way — smaller files, better quality, more advanced features. But JPG wins where it matters most in practice: compatibility. It works on every device, every platform, every app, without any additional software.
File Size: HEIC Wins Clearly
A typical iPhone photo saved in HEIC format is roughly 2–4 MB. The same photo saved as JPG at equivalent quality would typically be 5–9 MB — a reduction of 50–60%.
HEIC achieves this by using HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), a compression algorithm borrowed from modern video streaming. It analyses images in large blocks and uses sophisticated mathematics to identify and discard image data the human eye is unlikely to notice. JPG's compression technology, by contrast, dates from 1992 and hasn't evolved significantly since.
For a phone with 5,000 photos, the difference between HEIC and JPG storage can easily be 10–20 GB. Apple's choice to default to HEIC is driven almost entirely by this storage efficiency.
Image Quality: HEIC Also Wins
Both formats use lossy compression — they discard some image data to achieve smaller files. But HEIC discards that data more intelligently. At the same file size, a HEIC image retains more detail and shows fewer compression artefacts (blurring, blockiness, colour banding) than a JPG.
To match the quality of a HEIC image, a JPG typically needs to be saved at a higher quality setting — and therefore at a larger file size. This means HEIC gives you both smaller files and better quality, not a tradeoff between them.
Compatibility: JPG Wins Decisively
JPG was standardised in 1992 and is supported on virtually every device, operating system, web browser, photo editor, and social media platform ever made. It is the closest thing to a universal image format that exists.
HEIC, introduced in 2017, is natively supported only by Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac). Everywhere else:
- Windows — no native HEIC support; requires an additional codec from the Microsoft Store
- Android — most Android devices cannot open HEIC files
- Web browsers — Chrome and Firefox have added HEIC support, but not all browsers handle it
- Photo editors — older versions of Photoshop, Lightroom, and most non-Apple editors require plugins or updates
- File upload forms — many websites reject HEIC files as an unknown format
Features: HEIC Wins
HEIC supports capabilities that JPG simply cannot handle:
- Transparency (alpha channel)
- Wide colour gamut (Display P3)
- High dynamic range (HDR) data
- Depth maps from Portrait Mode
- Multiple frames (Live Photos, burst sequences)
For everyday photo sharing, these features rarely matter. For photographers archiving Portrait Mode shots or working with HDR imagery, retaining HEIC has real value.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | HEIC | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Typical file size (iPhone photo) | 2–4 MB | 5–9 MB |
| Compression type | Lossy (HEVC) | Lossy (JPEG) |
| Quality at same file size | Better | Good |
| Windows support | Needs codec | Universal |
| Android support | Limited | Universal |
| Web browser support | Partial | Universal |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| HDR / wide colour | Yes | No |
| Best for | iPhone storage | Sharing & web |
When to Use HEIC
HEIC makes sense when your photos stay within Apple's ecosystem. If you take photos on iPhone, edit them in the Photos app or Lightroom on Mac, and store them in iCloud, there's no reason to change anything. HEIC saves storage space and preserves the most image data, including depth maps and HDR.
When to Convert HEIC to JPG
Convert to JPG when:
- You're sharing photos with someone on Windows or Android
- You're uploading to a website, blog, or social platform
- You're attaching to an email for a non-Apple recipient
- You're using design software that doesn't support HEIC
- You received a HEIC file and can't open it
Convert HEIC to JPG — free, private, in your browser
HeicConvert converts your photos locally in the browser. Files never leave your device. No account needed, no file size limit.
Open converter →What About Converting HEIC to PNG Instead?
PNG is lossless — it retains every pixel of the original image without any compression loss. Converting HEIC to PNG gives you a perfect copy of the photo, but the file will be significantly larger than JPG (often 4–6× larger) with no visible difference for most uses. Choose PNG when you plan to edit the image further before finalising it, or when you specifically need pixel-perfect accuracy.