HEIC Vs. JPEG: What is the difference and which file format provides better image quality?

The HEIC (High-Efficiency Image Container) and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file formats each have their pros and cons when thinking about which one is best to use when saving photos to your device. HEIC is a variant of the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF), released in 2015 by the Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) and adopted widely when Apple began using it as the default image format for its operating systems in 2017. On the other hand, JPEG was first released in 1992 and was adopted by the Netscape browser in 1994, as well as the Internet Explorer browser, which was discontinued after 30 years old. JPEG played a key role in the early days of the Internet and has become one of the most widely used digital image formats in the world.

HEIC is a more efficient format, capable of storing highly detailed photos in about half the storage space occupied by JPEG. However, even though HEIC can record photos much more efficiently, it is less supported by brands and ecosystems. A JPEG image can be saved and opened on almost any type of device or software. Some other brands allow the use of HEIC, which is a way to make Roku backgrounds turn your TV into an art exhibit, but it’s still not very common.

If you’re an Apple user and want to record highly detailed photos as efficiently as possible, HEIC will have few, if any, drawbacks. But if your goal is to save photos in a format that can be shared and edited almost anywhere without the need for conversion, JPEG is for you. Be careful, though; While HEIC can be edited and saved without loss of quality, JPEG is a lossy format, meaning it will reduce the quality and detail of an image each time it is re-saved.

Since Apple adopted HEIC in 2017, the file format is already set as the default image file format on the camera app. Few users choose to change the default format, as it is compatible across the Apple ecosystem – and Apple systems tend to be considered the best for professional photo editing. If you want to use JPEG on your Apple device (running iOS 26) by default, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and change the camera capture to “Most Compatible”. This will change your camera captures to JPEG and your video capture format to H.264, which is also a widely supported video file format.

Default image formats vary between Android devices, but most phones with the operating system can only take photos in JPEG format. For example, while we praised the Google Pixel 10’s camera in our review, it can’t take HEIC format images in its default camera app. The latest Android operating system supports reading HEIC files, but creating them is another matter. The Samsung Galaxy S26 is an exception to this rule, as it can take photos in HEIF format by changing the format in the camera settings.