HEIC vs JPEG: the complete comparison
HEIC wins on file size and on what it can carry: multiple images, depth data, edits. JPEG wins on one thing that matters more often than any of that: it opens everywhere, on every device, in every form. Keep HEIC on the phone; send JPEG.
See what the quality setting does
Drag the line to compare the original with the JPEG at the quality you chose. The loupe shows a 3× crop under your pointer.
Side by side
| HEIC | JPEG | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | HEVC (H.265), lossy | JPEG DCT, lossy |
| File size at similar quality | Smaller. Apple’s stated reason for adopting it. | Larger |
| Opens on Windows without installing anything | No | Yes |
| Opens in Chrome, Firefox, Edge as an image | No | Yes |
| Accepted by typical upload forms | Often rejected | Yes |
| Multiple images in one file | Yes (image sequences, depth maps, edits) | Only as a small embedded thumbnail |
| Depth map, stored edits | Yes | No |
| Metadata (EXIF, GPS) | Yes | Yes |
| Colour depth | 8-bit for typical iPhone photos; the format allows 10-bit and more | 8-bit in everyday use |
| Transparency | Supported by the format | No |
| Introduced | HEIF finalised 2015; iPhone default since iOS 11, 2017 | Standard approved 1992 |
Size: what “smaller” means in practice
Apple’s support page says HEIF and HEVC “offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less storage space.” Apple gives no ratio, and the real one depends on the photo and on the JPEG quality you compare against. Figures such as “half the size” depend on the photo and on the JPEG quality chosen, so the comparison panel on the converter is the way to see what your own photo does.
Quality: does converting lose anything?
Both formats are lossy. Converting HEIC to JPEG re-encodes the picture, so some detail is lost. At JPEG quality 90 the loss is often hard to see at normal viewing sizes. The comparison panel on this page lets you check your own photo at any quality.
Compatibility: the deciding factor
If the photo stays on your iPhone, in iCloud, and on your Mac, HEIC costs you nothing and saves space. The moment it goes to a Windows PC, an Android phone, an email, or a website, JPEG is the format that doesn’t cause a support ticket.
The practical rule
Shoot HEIC. Send JPEG. Convert on the way out, on your own device, when you need to.
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