heic

HEIC, short for High Efficiency Image File Format, refers to the file extension used for images stored in the HEIF container. The term is commonly applied to files with the .heic extension, though HEIF can use other extensions as well. HEIC became widely adopted when Apple made it the default photos format on iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, beginning in 2017.

Technically, HEIC stores still images and image sequences within the HEIF container, typically encoded with the HEVC (H.265) codec, though other encodings are possible. It supports 16-bit color, wide color gamut, HDR, transparency, depth maps, and rich metadata. The format enables higher compression efficiency than JPEG, yielding smaller file sizes for similar quality, and can handle bursts or Live Photos within a single file.

Adoption and compatibility vary by platform. On Apple devices, HEIC is the default format for Photos. Windows and some Linux distributions require extra software or codecs to view and edit HEIC (for Windows, the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store; Linux users often rely on libheif-based tools). Many modern apps and services support HEIC, but older software and devices may lack support, necessitating conversion to JPEG in some workflows.

Limitations and considerations include uneven cross-platform compatibility and potential licensing or patent considerations associated with HEIF/HEVC. For long-term archiving, users may choose to preserve original HEIC files while maintaining JPEG or other fallbacks for sharing with older systems. Despite limitations, HEIC offers efficient storage and advanced features that have made it a common choice on contemporary devices.