HEIC

HEIC is an image file that uses the HEIF container (High Efficiency Image File Format, ISO/IEC 23008-12) with images compressed by HEVC, also known as H.265. Files use the .heic extension. HEIF was developed by MPEG.

Apple adopted HEIC as the default camera format on iPhone and iPad with iOS 11 in 2017, under the "High Efficiency" camera setting. The format can hold several images in one file, auxiliary images such as depth maps, an alpha channel and EXIF metadata.

At a similar visual quality, HEIC files are often much smaller than JPEG files. The trade-off is compatibility outside Apple's platforms.

Convert image formats

HEIC to PDF Converter turns HEIC photos into a PDF in the browser. For single images, macOS Preview can export a HEIC file as JPEG or PNG with File, then Export.

HEIC vs JPG

	HEIC	JPG
Compression	HEVC	DCT (JPEG)
Typical size at similar quality	Smaller	Larger
Alpha channel	Supported	No
Bit depth	8 bits per channel or higher	8 bits per channel
Compatibility	Apple devices, some others	Nearly universal

Compatibility issues

Macs, iPhones and iPads open HEIC natively. Some Windows setups need an extra codec, many web upload forms reject the format, and browser support is limited. Support changes, so check the destination. When an iPhone shares a photo through some apps or as an email attachment, it may convert the file to JPEG automatically.

How to convert HEIC

1. On a Mac, open the file in Preview.
2. Choose File, then Export, and pick JPEG or PNG.
3. For many files, select them in Finder and use a Quick Action or a batch tool.
4. For documents, combine the photos into one PDF.

To avoid HEIC at the source, set the iPhone camera format to Most Compatible in Settings, under Camera, then Formats.

Common mistakes

• Uploading HEIC to a form that only accepts JPEG or PNG.
• Converting to JPEG at a low quality and losing detail.
• Expecting screenshots to be HEIC. macOS screenshots are PNG by default.
• Assuming conversion removes location metadata. Check the export options.

Have an image to fix right now?

Convert HEIC photos with HEIC to PDF Converter, or shrink a JPG or PNG with Image Compressor.

Common questions

Is HEIC better than JPG?

It is usually smaller at similar quality. JPG is easier to share because almost every tool opens it.

Does Temposhot create HEIC files?

No. Temposhot exports PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, MP4 and PDF.

Sources

• High Efficiency Image File Format (Wikipedia)
• High Efficiency Video Coding (Wikipedia)

Related resources

• Pages and imports: add images to a Temposhot Document.
• Document scanning: turning paper pages into PDFs.