What is a HEIC file?

HEIC is the photo format iPhones and iPads have used by default since iOS 11. It's a HEIF file compressed with HEVC, which stores photos at roughly half the size of a JPG of similar quality.

Full name: High Efficiency Image Container
File extensions: .heic, .heif
MIME type: image/heic
Type: Raster image
Compression: Lossy
Transparency: Supported, rarely used
Animation: No
Format Hero support: Convert from only

What HEIC is used for

Photos taken on iPhone and iPad, and on some Android phones and cameras. You'll usually meet HEIC when you copy iPhone photos to a Windows PC or try to upload them somewhere.

Strengths

Small files for high-quality photos, plus support for depth data, 10-bit colour and image sequences.

Weaknesses

Support outside Apple devices is poor: Windows needs extra extensions, most browsers can't display it, and many websites and apps reject HEIC uploads.

Compatibility

Opens natively on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Windows needs the HEIF and HEVC extensions from the Microsoft Store, and the HEVC one is paid. Of the major browsers only Safari displays HEIC, and many upload forms don't accept it.

Converting HEIC files

Format Hero can read HEIC files and convert them to JPG, PNG, PDF or WebP and more, but it can't save to HEIC. Browsers can't encode HEIC, and almost nobody needs to create it outside an iPhone.

Convert HEIC to another format

Questions

How do I open a HEIC file?

On Apple devices, open it in Photos or Preview. On Windows, install the HEIF and HEVC Video Extensions, or convert the file to JPG. Format Hero converts HEIC in the browser on any system.

Is HEIC lossy or lossless?

HEIC is lossy: it discards some detail to keep files small.

Does HEIC support transparency?

The format can store transparency, but photos from iPhones and cameras don't use it.

Can I convert HEIC files without uploading them?

Yes. Format Hero converts HEIC files in your browser, on your own device, so they're never sent to a server. It's free, needs no sign-up and adds no watermark.