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The digital world is positively brimming with image formats.
Two of the better known ones are HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), the latter also being known as JPG.
But what should you do if you end up with an HEIC image when, for whatever reason, what you really need is the more common and universally accepted JPG format?
That's where our free 'HEIC to JPG Converter' comes in handy.
The HEIC file (easily recognisble by the file extension '.heic') is a relatively new image format introduced by Apple, and is the default format for storing images on iPhones.
Its goal was to keep image quality high while minimising file size, thus saving storage space on your mobile devices – where storage is typcially at a premium.
So it's a great idea.
But it comes with a price tag. Beacuse despite being a high efficiency format, HEIC files aren't universally accepted. For example, you might have problem trying to upload them to well-known and heavily used platforms like Twitter, Instagram or even Facebook
As with any file format, HEIC files have their good aspects as well as bad ones.
HEIC files were specifically engineered for use on iOS devices, and are the default image format for iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 and above. In general, they offer a good balance between file size and image quality. Here are some of their typical use cases for HEIC files:
JPG files are one of the most popular image formats around, and one of the few, perhaps along with GIFs, that are part of common knowledge beyond just those with technical expertis. The format was developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group, hence the slightly longer moniker you may know it by - the JPEG. Thanks to its widespread acceptance and compatibility (it's been around since 1992) you'll find jpegs almost everywhere on the internet.
The JPEG is one of the most universally accepted image formats out there, and is used extensively across various platforms and devices. Here are some typical situations where it gets heavy usage:
When it comes to image quality, both HEIC and JPG formats deliver good results, but with some key differences under the hood.
The HEIC file format, or High Efficiency Image Container, incorporates modern image encoding techniques. It uses the High Efficiency Video Compression (HEVC) method to do its work. This is a more efficient form of image compression than with JPG, and means that HEIC format files can store a high-quality image at nearly half the file size of a comparable JPG.
More than that, HEIC supports 16-bit deep colour images, whereas JPG only supports 8-bit, meaning an HEIC file can capture a wider range of colors, and preserve more detail in highlights and shadows.
On the other hand, JPG, or Joint Photographic Experts Group, is an older file format, dating right back to the early days of digital photography. However, it's stood the test of time due to its excellent compression algorithm and compatibility with almost every device and platform. And this universal acceptance has made it an automatic choice for many, making its popularity self-perpetuating.
JPG files tend to be smaller and more universally accessible than HEIC files, though this does come at slight cost to image quality.
But while JPG might not offer the same level of compression or color range as HEIC, it still provides a really useful balance of quality and size, which is one of the things that makes it an obvious choice for everyday use (even if most people don't really think so much about why they're using it – it's just their go to format). Most importantly, any loss in quality is pretty much negligible to the human eye, especially when viewed on screens.
So, the question of image quality really comes down to your specific needs.
Are you looking for the best quality at the smallest size? Don't mind compatibility issues? Typically wedded to iOS devlces? HEIC is probably a good choice.
However, if compatibility and universal acceptance are the main drivers, then JPG format is probably a better option.
We can consider all the pros and cons around the two formats, but ultimately if you've reached this page, its likely because you've already decided you want to convert heic files to image files of another kind via our free conversion tool.
And whether it's for uploading to Facebook, sharing with non-iPhone users, or simply storing it ready-for-use in a more universally accepted format, the JPEG file is a popular way to go.
And that's where you'll find our (completely free) HEIC to JPG converter handy.
Our free, user-friendly tool lets you convert up to five HEIC files to JPG at a time. Here's how it works:
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All files are uploaded via a secure SSL connection to our server for processing. We don't sell them, pass them on to a third party or do anything else sneaky or underhand. Our algorithm converts them automatically, without human intervention.
Your converted files are available for 24 hours for your convenience, after which they're permanently deleted from our server.
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Our HEIC to JPG converter tool makes it easy for you to convert your HEIC files into a universally accepted format without compromising on quality.
And what's more, it's free
Ready to convert your HEIC images to JPG? What are you waiting for? Let's get to it. Happy converting!
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