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HEIC vs JPG: which should you use?
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
HEIC usually gives a smaller file than a JPG at similar quality, roughly half the size according to Wikipedia, and supports higher bit depth. JPG is accepted nearly everywhere. Keep HEIC for storage on Apple devices, and convert to JPG when you share with people, apps or upload forms that do not handle HEIC.
The short comparison
JPG is the universal photo format: every phone, browser, editor and upload form reads it. HEIC is the file extension Apple uses for photos stored in the HEIF container, usually compressed with HEVC. Apple made HEIC the default on iPhones with iOS 11 in 2017, and you can switch the camera back to JPEG capture. Wikipedia notes that a HEIC photo is roughly half the size of an equivalent-quality JPEG, with the caveat that results depend on the encoder and settings.
Where HEIC wins
Smaller files at similar quality is the headline. The format also supports more than 8 bits per channel: many cameras and phones now output 10-bit HEIF. If you keep a large library on an iPhone or a Mac, HEIC can save real storage. On Apple devices, support is built in; Apple's HEIC support covers iOS 11 and later and macOS High Sierra and later.
Where JPG wins: compatibility
The trouble starts when a photo leaves the Apple ecosystem. Wikipedia lists several problems: Windows needs the HEIF Image Extension and HEVC video extensions (the HEVC one has a small fee), Android supports HEIF from version 8 and HEIC from version 10, Discord does not support HEIC, and during 2020 AP exams HEIF uploads failed on the College Board site, so students were asked to switch to JPEG. HEVC-encoded content also falls under HEVC patent licensing, which some people see as a downside.
In practice, an upload form that rejects your photo, a client who cannot open it or a colleague on Windows is the usual reason to convert.
- Keep HEIC: personal library, iCloud storage, editing on Apple devices
- Use JPG: email, web upload, forms, sharing with mixed devices, older software
Converting HEIC to JPG on a Mac
Converting is lossy: JPG is re-encoded, so keep your HEIC original and convert a copy. Finder's Quick Actions has Convert Image under More, where you pick a format and size, and Preview can export as JPEG. For batches, FileDial's Convert › Convert to JPG writes a new copy beside the original; a batch of 300 photos converted in 5 seconds on a MacBook. For forms, Convert › Make uploadable produces a JPG any upload form takes, keeps the date and removes location. If you need to go the other way, Convert › Convert to HEIC exists.
Photos also carry location. Privacy › Remove location writes a copy without GPS, pixels untouched. See the existing guide on converting HEIC to JPG for the step-by-step.
- Select the HEIC files in Finder.
- Open the dial with the right Option key.
- Choose Convert › Convert to JPG, or Convert › Make uploadable for upload forms.
- Use the JPG copies for sharing and keep the HEIC originals.
What to choose, in one line each
For storage on your own devices: HEIC. For sharing and uploads: JPG. For editing archives where you want maximum quality, keep the original file and convert only the copy you send. If your camera app offers a Most Compatible setting, it records JPEG, trading storage for compatibility.
Mistakes and edge cases
The biggest mistake is deleting the HEIC original after converting. JPG is re-encoded with lossy compression, and each further edit and save adds another round of loss. Treat the HEIC as the master and the JPG as a disposable copy for sharing.
A second edge case is Live Photos and burst shots. A Live Photo stores a still plus a short movie, so converting only the still drops the motion. FileDial has Convert › Live Photo to still, Convert › Live Photo to video and Convert › Live Photo to GIF for those cases, depending on what you want to keep.
Third, color and bit depth. HEIC can hold more than 8 bits per channel, and JPG is 8-bit. A 10-bit HEIF from a camera converted to JPG loses some tonal range, which rarely matters for sharing and sometimes matters for heavy editing. Wikipedia notes even Adobe Photoshop reads HEIC only at 8-bit, so check your editor.
Fourth, assuming the iPhone's Most Compatible setting is free. It records JPEG, which avoids conversion later but uses more storage. If you mostly send photos to people on other platforms it can be the right trade, and if you mostly keep them on Apple devices it is not.
Fifth, privacy. Both formats carry Exif data including date, camera and sometimes GPS. A conversion does not necessarily clear it, so run Privacy › Remove location or Privacy › Remove all metadata on the copy you share, or use Convert › Make uploadable, which keeps the date and removes location.
Finally, there is no need to convert for Apple-only sharing: AirDrop and iCloud Photos between Apple devices handle HEIC, and Apple's own apps can convert on the fly when you export. Convert when a person, app or site actually rejects the file.
Questions
Is HEIC higher quality than JPG?
Not automatically. HEIC can match JPG quality at a smaller size and supports higher bit depth, but a low-quality encoder setting can look worse than a good JPG. Wikipedia points out that HEIF is a container, so any comparison depends on the encoder and its settings.
Why will my HEIC photo not upload?
Some sites and forms do not accept HEIC. Wikipedia mentions the College Board's AP exam site during 2020, Discord and Wikimedia Commons as examples. Convert a copy to JPG, for instance with Convert › Make uploadable in FileDial, and upload that instead of the original.
Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?
Slightly, since the JPG is re-encoded with lossy compression. At a high quality setting the difference is usually hard to see on screen, and your HEIC original stays untouched if you convert a copy. Avoid converting repeatedly, which stacks losses.
Can Windows open HEIC?
With the HEIF Image Extension and the HEVC video extensions installed, according to Wikipedia, and the HEVC extension carries a small fee. Recipients without them see an error or a blank icon, so converting a copy to JPG before sending avoids the support request.