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Format Guide
HEIC vs JPG — What's the difference?
1 min read
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HEIC and JPG are both photo formats, but they have important differences.
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container)
- Developed by: MPEG group, adopted by Apple in 2017
- Compression: HEVC (H.265) — significantly more efficient than JPEG
- File size: Roughly 50% smaller than JPG at the same visual quality
- Features: Supports transparency, 16-bit color depth, image sequences, and depth maps
- Compatibility: Native on iOS/macOS; limited support on Windows and Android
JPG (JPEG)
- Developed by: Joint Photographic Experts Group, 1992
- Compression: DCT-based lossy compression
- File size: Larger than HEIC at equivalent quality
- Features: No transparency, 8-bit color, single image only
- Compatibility: Universal — works everywhere
When to use each
| Use case | Recommended format |
|---|---|
| Storing photos on iPhone/iPad | HEIC (default, saves space) |
| Sharing photos on the web | JPG (universal compatibility) |
| Sending to Windows users | JPG (HEIC may not open) |
| Archival with best quality | HEIC (better compression, higher color depth) |
| Email attachments | JPG (smaller + universally readable) |
Converting between them
Use KoalaPic’s HEIC to JPG converter to quickly convert your iPhone photos for sharing. The conversion preserves EXIF metadata (camera info, GPS, dates) by default.
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