HEIC vs. JPEG on iPhone: which photo format should you use?

HEIC or JPEG: what the settings really mean

On supported iPhones, Settings, Camera, Formats offers two choices. High Efficiency saves photos as HEIF and videos as HEVC. Most Compatible saves photos as JPEG and videos as H.264. You will often see HEIF photos with a .HEIC file extension.

Apple states that HEIF and HEVC offer better compression, so they use less storage space on your devices and in iCloud Photos while keeping the same visual quality. JPEG and H.264 take more space for comparable quality but are more broadly compatible with other devices and operating systems.

Only iPhones and iPads that can capture HEIF or HEVC show this setting. Apple lists the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus or later as capable devices.

What it changes for your storage

Smaller files mean more pictures in the same space, both on the iPhone and in your iCloud quota. That can matter if you are close to the free 5 GB limit or have a phone with limited storage. Apple does not give a single saving figure, and the real difference depends on the picture, so do not expect an exact percentage.

Changing the setting only affects new photos and videos. Existing pictures stay in the format they were taken in, so switching to Most Compatible will not shrink or enlarge your old library, and switching back does not convert it.

Where compatibility problems show up

Apple says HEIF and HEVC media can be viewed and edited on iOS 11 and later, iPadOS, visionOS and macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later. Other devices, older software and some websites or tools may not open them, which is the case for choosing Most Compatible.

In practice Apple handles much of this for you. iCloud Photos keeps the original format, but AirDrop, Messages and email may convert media to JPEG or H.264 if the recipient does not support the newer formats. When you import over USB to Photos, Image Capture or a PC, the media may be converted to JPEG or H.264 as well.

How to change the format or keep originals

Choose based on how you really use your photos. If everything stays within Apple devices and cloud storage, the default is a good fit. If you regularly edit on an older PC, upload to a service that rejects HEIF, or share with people who cannot open the files, Most Compatible avoids surprises.

1. Open Settings, tap Camera, then Formats.
2. Choose High Efficiency for HEIF and HEVC, or Most Compatible for JPEG and H.264.
3. To avoid automatic conversion when importing to a computer, Apple says to turn on Keep Originals under Settings, Apps, Photos.
4. For older devices, Apple suggests 1080p or lower and 60 fps or lower for video, which you can adjust under Settings, Camera, Record Video and Record Slo-mo.

Choose once, then focus on what you keep

The format matters less than how many near-identical photos you hold on to. A burst of ten similar shots uses space whichever format you choose, so deleting the weak ones saves more than any setting.

GallerySort can help with that part: swipe left to delete, swipe right to keep, and tap an album to file the keepers. It works with the photos you have, whatever format they are in, and does not convert your files.