Is HEIC better quality than JPG?

At the same file size, yes, because its compression is more efficient. At the sizes phones normally save, the two look the same, and HEIC simply uses about half the storage.

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

A little, because JPG is also a lossy format, but at high quality settings the difference is not visible. The JPG file will be larger than the original HEIC.

Why can't I open HEIC files on Windows?

Windows reads HEIC through the HEIF Image Extensions, and some files also need the HEVC Video Extensions, both from the Microsoft Store. Install them, or convert the photos to JPG.

Guide · 4 min read

HEIC vs JPG: what's the difference?

By the Luren AI team · Updated October 16, 2026

HEIC is the photo format iPhones save by default. It keeps the same visual quality as JPG at roughly half the file size, and it can store extras such as transparency, depth maps and bursts. JPG is older and larger, but every phone, computer, browser and website can open it. The practical answer: keep HEIC on your phone to save space, and convert to JPG when you share, upload or print somewhere that does not support HEIC.

What HEIC is

HEIC is a flavour of HEIF, the High Efficiency Image File Format, a container standard developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and introduced in 2015. A HEIF file that holds images compressed with HEVC, the H.265 video codec, is a HEIC file. Using a modern video codec to compress still photos is what makes the files so small.

Apple adopted the format in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra in 2017, and iPhones from the iPhone 7 onward save photos as HEIC by default. Android added HEIC support in Android 10, and some Android cameras offer HEIF as an option to save space.

What JPG is

JPG, or JPEG after the Joint Photographic Experts Group that created it, has been the standard photo format since the early 1990s. It uses lossy compression, stores 8 bits per colour channel and has no transparency. Its strength is that it works everywhere: every browser, operating system, printer, website upload form and messaging app reads it.

The key differences

For everyday photos the two look the same. The differences are in size, depth and support:

File size: Apple says HEIF offers better compression than JPEG. A HEIC photo is typically around half the size of a JPG of the same visual quality, so a phone holds roughly twice as many.
Quality: at the same file size, HEIC shows fewer compression artefacts. At normal camera settings the difference is invisible.
Colour depth: HEIF supports more than 8 bits per channel (10-bit is common in cameras), which helps smooth gradients and HDR. JPG is limited to 8 bits.
Extras: HEIF can store transparency, depth maps for portrait effects and image sequences such as bursts in one file. JPG holds a single image.
Compatibility: JPG opens everywhere. HEIC support is still patchy outside Apple devices.
Editing: both are lossy, so repeated saves cost quality. Edit from the original and export once.

Where HEIC still doesn't work

Among web browsers, only Safari (from version 17) displays HEIC natively. Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not, which is why many websites and online forms reject HEIC uploads or show a broken image.

On Windows, HEIC support comes from Microsoft's HEIF Image Extensions. Windows 11 should include them, but some PCs still need them installed from the Microsoft Store, and some photos also need the HEVC Video Extensions. Macs have opened HEIC since macOS High Sierra. Older photo editors, print kiosks and some email clients can still fail on it.

How to make your iPhone save JPG instead

If you mostly share photos with Windows users or upload them to websites, you can change the format. Most Compatible uses more storage, so it is worth switching only if you constantly need JPG files. Two settings matter:

Open Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. New photos are saved as JPG and new videos as H.264.
To keep HEIC on the phone but get compatible files on a computer, go to Settings > Apps > Photos and set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic. Photos imported over USB are then converted. Choose Keep Originals if you want the HEIC files themselves.

How to convert HEIC to JPG

Converting at high quality loses very little detail, but the JPG will be larger than the HEIC. If you need a lossless copy, convert to PNG instead, and if the JPG is too big for email or a web form, run it through the image compressor.

Converting is quick on any device:

In a browser: the free HEIC to JPG converter converts one photo or many on your own device, without uploading them.
On a Mac: open the photo in Preview, choose File > Export and pick JPEG.
On Windows: with the HEIF extension installed, open the photo in Paint and use Save as > JPEG picture.

Which should you use?

Both formats can carry the photo's GPS location in their metadata, so whichever you choose, check it before sharing; the remove photo metadata tool strips it. Beyond that, use each format where it is strongest:

HEIC for everyday shooting on an iPhone: smaller files, the same quality, and Apple devices handle it seamlessly.
JPG for sharing with Windows and Android users, uploading to websites and forms, printing, and anything you are unsure about.
PNG for screenshots and graphics with text or transparency.