HEIC vs JPG: A Real Comparison

HEIC is the newer format, JPG is the universal one, and converting between them trades compatibility against efficiency. Here's what actually changes on each axis.

Compression efficiency

HEIC uses the HEVC (H.265) codec's image compression, which is meaningfully more efficient than JPEG's decades-older algorithm. Apple advertises roughly half the file size at similar visual quality. This is real: a HEIC photo is typically much smaller than an equivalent-quality JPEG of the same picture.

File size after converting

Converting HEIC to JPG generally produces a larger file than the original HEIC, because you're moving from the more efficient codec to the less efficient one. This is expected and not a sign anything went wrong. You're trading file size for the ability to open the photo everywhere.

Visual quality

A well-done HEIC-to-JPG conversion at a reasonably high JPEG quality setting looks effectively identical to the original for normal viewing. You're re-encoding, which introduces some generational loss, but it's rarely visible unless you're pixel-peeping or the JPEG quality is set very low.

Metadata

Camera, location, and date metadata (EXIF data) doesn't automatically survive a format conversion the same reliable way it does when AirDropping or syncing through Apple's own ecosystem. How much metadata carries through depends on the specific converter. Don't assume location or timestamp data will definitely be preserved unless you've checked the output.

Compatibility

This is HEIC's actual weakness: it's an Apple-driven format, and support outside Apple's own devices and recent versions of Windows/Android is inconsistent. JPG opens correctly on literally every device, OS, and piece of software made in the last 25 years. If you're sharing a photo with someone whose setup you don't control, JPG is the safe choice.

When to actually convert

Keep HEIC if the photos stay within Apple devices and you value the smaller file size. Convert to JPG before sharing with Windows/Android users, uploading to a site that doesn't accept HEIC, or archiving somewhere long-term compatibility matters more than file size.

Convert HEIC to JPG on this site runs entirely in your browser. See why HEIC exists in the first place for the fuller background.