HEIC vs JPG: Which Image Format Should You Use?

If you own an iPhone, every photo you take is saved as a .heic file by default. Apple switched to this format years ago because it produces smaller files without sacrificing image quality. Sounds great in theory.

In practice, it causes headaches constantly.

Try emailing a HEIC photo to someone on Android. Try uploading one to a WordPress site. Try opening one on a Windows PC that hasn’t been updated in a while. Half the time, it just doesn’t work.

JPG, on the other hand, is the “it just works” format. Every device, every app, every website on earth knows how to handle a JPG.

So which one is actually better?

Honestly, both have their place.

HEIC wins on:

• File size. A HEIC image is roughly 40 to 50 percent smaller than a JPG at the same quality. That adds up fast if you take a lot of photos.
• Quality. HEIC supports 16 bit color depth (JPG maxes out at 8 bit), so you get smoother gradients and more detail in shadows and highlights.
• Features. HEIC can store multiple images in one file (like Live Photos) and supports transparency.

JPG wins on:

• Compatibility. It works everywhere. Literally everywhere. No exceptions.
• Speed. JPG files decode faster, which matters on web pages and in apps that display lots of images.
• Simplicity. Every image editing tool in existence supports JPG without any extra plugins.

The practical answer

Keep your photos as HEIC on your phone to save storage space. When you need to share them with the outside world, convert to JPG.

The GetAnyFile HEIC to JPG Converter makes this dead simple. It runs entirely in your browser, so your photos never get uploaded to any server.

How to convert:

1. Go to the HEIC to JPG Converter.
2. Drop in your .heic photos. You can do a whole batch at once.
3. Click Convert.
4. Download your JPG files.

Takes a few seconds and works on any device with a browser. No apps to install, no accounts to create.

Stop fighting format compatibility issues and just convert when you need to. Keep the originals on your phone, share JPGs with everyone else.