heicheif

HEICHEIF is not a formal standard name; it is a nonstandard term that may refer to the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) and its widely used variant HEIC. HEIF is a container format defined by the ISO/IEC group that can store still images, image sequences, and related data. HEIC is the common file extension used for images encoded with the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) codec within a HEIF container.

HEIF is the container format, and HEIC describes a specific encoding profile that uses HEVC for compression. Other codecs can be used with HEIF, but HEVC is the most prevalent in consumer devices, particularly on smartphones and modern operating systems.

Key features include the ability to store multiple images in a single file, support for alpha transparency, 16-bit color, high dynamic range, depth maps, and non-destructive edits stored as metadata. HEIF can also hold additional data such as thumbnails, captions, and metadata from EXIF and XMP.

History and adoption: HEIF was published by MPEG as ISO/IEC 23008-12; HEVC-based HEIC encoding became widely used after Apple adopted it in iOS 11 (2017). Since then, many Android devices and desktop platforms have added support, though some ecosystems require optional components or updates.

Compatibility and tooling: Native support is strong on macOS and iOS; Windows supports HEIF via an optional extension; Linux support exists through libraries such as libheif and ffmpeg, and web support depends on browser decoders. Practical issues include licensing for HEVC and occasional interoperability differences across software.