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HEIC vs JPG (and PNG): Which Is Better? Size, Quality and Compatibility

By HEICJPG.Online · Updated November 6, 2026 · 5 min read

HEIC is the better format on paper: an iPhone photo saved as HEIC is usually around half the size of the same photo as JPG, with no difference you can see. JPG is the better format for sharing, because it opens on every phone, computer, browser and web form. Keep HEIC on your phone, convert a copy to JPG when a photo leaves the Apple world, and use PNG only for screenshots and graphics.

HEIC vs JPG vs PNG at a glance

Feature	HEIC	JPG	PNG
Size of a photo	Smallest, roughly half of JPG	Baseline	About 4 times JPG
Compression	Lossy (HEVC)	Lossy	Lossless
Color depth	Up to 16 bit	8 bit	8 or 16 bit
HDR, Live Photos, depth maps	Yes	No	No
Transparency	Yes	No	Yes
Browsers	Safari only	All	All
Best for	Storing photos on your phone	Sharing, uploading, printing	Screenshots, logos, graphics

In our own test of 17 real photos (October 2026, JPEG quality 92), the JPG of an iPhone photo was 1.8 times the size of the HEIC (median). Ten iPhone photos took 17.4 MB as HEIC and 26.4 MB as JPG. Samsung and Sony cameras compress HEIC much more lightly, so there the JPG came out about the same size (0.7 to 1.3 times).

Does converting HEIC to JPG lose quality?

Technically yes, visibly almost never. Both formats are lossy, so converting encodes the picture once more. Our JPGs scored a median SSIM of 0.991 against the HEIC (1.0 means identical), and at normal sizes we could not tell them apart. Resolution and EXIF data stay the same. What a JPG has no room for:

The HDR glow. Recent iPhones add a gain map that makes highlights shine on HDR screens. Most converters, ours included, write a standard JPG without it.
Color depth above 8 bit. A 10 bit HEIF from a pro camera becomes 8 bit.
Live Photo motion and depth maps. A JPG holds one still image.

Convert once from the HEIC original rather than resaving the same JPG again and again. The GPS location is kept too, so remove the location before posting photos publicly.

Where HEIC causes problems

Browsers: only Safari displays HEIC; Chrome, Firefox and Edge do not.
Windows: Windows 10 needs the free HEIF Image Extensions plus HEVC Video Extensions (usually about $0.99) from the Microsoft Store. Windows 11 usually has HEIF support preinstalled.
Apps and uploads: Photoshop opens HEIC but cannot save it, Discord does not support it, and many web forms reject .heic files.

To just look at a HEIC photo, use our HEIC viewer in any browser. Got a HEIC email attachment? Save it to your device first, because email previews are where HEIC fails most often, then open it in the viewer or convert it. More options are in how to open HEIC files.

Why are my photos HEIC instead of JPG?

Because of a camera setting. iPhones from the iPhone 7 onward shoot HEIC by default since iOS 11 (2017), and Samsung Galaxy phones do the same when High efficiency pictures is on. To switch back to JPG:

iPhone: Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible.
Samsung Galaxy: Camera app, settings gear, Advanced picture options, turn off High efficiency pictures.

This affects only new photos, which will then take about twice the space. Photos you already have stay HEIC.

HEIC vs PNG: when PNG makes sense

PNG is lossless and supports transparency, so it is right for screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with text. For camera photos it is the wrong choice: in our test the PNG was 4.3 times the size of the JPG and 5.8 times the HEIC, and it looked no better, because it cannot restore detail the camera already discarded. HEIC photos are lossy too, just more efficient than JPG. If you need a lossless copy for editing, use the HEIC to PNG converter.

How to convert HEIC to JPG

Open heicjpg.online on your phone or computer.
Drop up to 60 HEIC photos at once. Conversion starts by itself.
Download the JPGs one by one or together as a ZIP. Your originals stay untouched.

Built in tools work too: Preview or Finder on a Mac and the Photos app on Windows. They are fine for a few files; an online converter is quicker for a batch or when you cannot install anything.

Need a JPG right now?

Drop your HEIC photos and they convert automatically: full resolution, EXIF preserved, no signup.

Convert HEIC to JPG now

Frequently asked questions

Is HEIC better quality than JPG?

At the same file size, yes, and it allows more than 8 bit color. At the same visual quality, a HEIC is roughly half the size of a JPG. JPG wins only on compatibility.

Is HEIC lossless?

No. HEIC photos from phones and cameras are lossy, just more efficient than JPG. If you need a lossless file, use PNG.

Is JPEG the same as JPG?

Yes. It is the same format with two spellings of the file extension.

Can I convert a JPG back to HEIC?

Yes, on a Mac with Preview, but it only saves space. Detail the JPG lost does not come back, so keep your HEIC originals.

Is HEIC safe to open?

Yes. A HEIC file is an image, not a program, and opening one on an up to date device is as safe as opening a JPG.