A HEIC file or image is a new container format created by Apple Company for the current iPad and iPhone models. It is used to store image sequences and individual digital images.
The format contains multimedia files or images, including media streams like videos, audio, and time texts. HEIC stands for High-Efficiency Image Container, which advances the features of HEIF.
The image or file format can be identified using the ‘,heics, .heif, or .heic’ extension at the end of the file name. However, this depends on the number of files or images the file format contains, including pertinent metadata, namely image location, resolution, and size.
HEIC is an updated variant of HEIF, a file format traditionally applicable to Apple mobile devices. It saves more high-quality images than JPG and PNG and uses minimal storage space compared to these traditional file formats.
It uses advanced High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) compression technology to compress and store images on mobile devices. HEIC files or images occupy half the space taken up by JPGs or JPEGS.
History of HEIC files
Apple Inc. is popularly known to have created the HEIC file format in 2017. However, the original HEIF and HEVC image or file technologies were developed by the Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG).
Apple Inc. initially embraced the Advanced Audio Coding Standard (AACS) of MPEG for its innovative iPhones and iTunes via the H.265/HEVC video format in 2010. The move prompted Apple to integrate HEIF files in its operating systems in 2017 as part of the macOS High Sierra updates and iOS11.
Apple created HEIC to help improve the space-saving inadequacies of JPEG and PNG and respond to the increasing quality demands of its smartphone cameras. HEIC offers the best image compression and similarly maintains high image quality.
It stores many images in limited space without compromising quality or clarity. HEIC encodes and stores image types such as HDR and SDR.
HEIC has become increasingly popular in the computing and technology arena because it stores and shares digital images. However, most social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter (X), YouTube, and WeChat, do not support the file format.
Limited browser support and compatibility issues limit HEIC’s popularity, growth, and adoption across multiple platforms and websites.
Properties of HEIC files
HEIC files are considered superior file formats compared to PNGs and JPEGs. The file format requires less space and is high-quality because of its advanced compression technique, which retains all high-quality image features.
Structure
HEIC is a raster graphics file format that can handle very detailed images or photos. It supports advanced image features, a wide range of color depth, and High-Dynamic-Range (HDR) images.
The format typically comprises a 3x8-bit color range or components, implying that HEIC images or files are loaded and saved in a 24-bit format. Besides, HEIC supports 10-bit and 16-bit color components or files loaded as 48-bit color depth by default.
Storing up to 16 bits per color channel produces more vibrant and high-quality HEIC images. The file format captures and stores detailed image information, giving it a richer color depth that is useful for graphic designers and photographers.
HEIC is a versatile file format with inherent support for multimedia types or multi-sample pixels. Its images integrate image sequences, HDR sequences, transparency pixels, and multilayer image information or metadata.
It supports and stores rich metadata, such as GPS coordinates, creation dates, and image descriptions, in a single file. This information is used to organize and search for a large collection of HEIC images.
HEIC can be in both low- and high-resolution image formats. Under lossy compression, it uses HEVC algorithms to delete unnecessary image information or data. Since richer image components, including color or other features, are prone to deletion, the resulting image can be low-resolution.
On the other hand, the wide color range, expansive bit depth, and richer image components or features are stored under lossless compression. Thus, lossless compression using HEVC algorithms results in high-resolution HEIC images.
The bit depth for a HEIC file or image is important as it dictates the file size and color information stored for every pixel in the image. Thus, bit-depth makes HEIC images crispy and visually impressive, increasing user experience across different platforms.
Storage
HEIC has Exif metadata comprising all the tags and comments supported by EXIF and TIFF. The embedded TIF files have no image data. It stores individual image files and marks them as "items," where every file has a designated number of items.
On the other hand, HEIC format similarly allows image sequences called "tracks" to be saved and stored in EXIF/TIF files. In the last case, HEIC uses an indicator to indicate whether the HEIC viewer must display the files as galleries or animations later. Thus, the HEIC metadata are stored in EXIF/TIFF files.
HEIC files can last indefinitely in storage mediums depending on the situation, handling process, and storage medium. The file format stores uncompressed, lossy, or lossless compressed data in the cloud, EXIF/TIFF file systems, Content Delivery Network (CDN), floppy drives, and hard drives.
Compression
HEIC uses lossless and lossy compression in the same file. Either technique uses advanced or Highly efficient video coding (HEVC) to minimize image sizes while significantly preserving image quality.
The HEIC image compression process is effortless, although intricate at first glance. The file format uses HEVC to compress each image frame using the discrete sine and cosine transforms (DST and DCT), with block sizes ranging between 4x4 pixels and 32x32 pixels.
It makes each file or image block precise while emphasizing quality retention or maintaining all image details. During the HEIC compression process, inter-frame compression similarly takes place, resulting in small, high-quality images that improve web responsiveness.
HEIC compression is necessary when users want to choose between reducing image size and preserving image quality based on their needs. However, since HEIC retains almost all image qualities in a single file, it takes longer to load on websites than JPEG and PNG.
Under lossless compression, HEVC algorithms construct an optimal prefix code, which generates variable-length codes for HEIC input characters, pixel data, or bytes; hence, variable compression.
Editing
HEIC files or images can be edited using HEIF Utility, HEIC Viewer, Google Photos, Dropbox, XnView, Microsoft Photos App, Apowersoft Photo Viewer, Preview App, Phiewer, and Pixelmator.
HEIC images can be resized using software such as Pixillion, Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, PaintShop Pro, Affinity Photo, Apple Photos, GIMP, and ImageMagick.
Animation
HEIC stores multiple images in a single and allows short animations to be created. Users can create looped animated images or image sequences using HEIC.
Animated HEIC supports 16-bit color, while animated GIFs only support 8-bit images, making it more visually appealing. Besides, animated HEIC offers extensive post-processing features, such as editability, compared to animated GIFs.
Unlike animated GIFs, animated HEIFs are not universally supported by browsers, devices, or platforms, limiting their usage. Unlike animated GIFs, animated HEIFs can take time to load online, comprising multiple animated still images in a single file.
Transparency
HEIC images or files support transparency, like the PNG file format. This allows images such as graphics and logos to merge seamlessly with the prevailing webpage background. The file format has transparency information or an alpha channel.
HEIC images or files support optional alpha mask or plane transparency data. Such files are loaded as 32-bit when using 8-bit components or 64-bit when using 10-bit components.
In HEIC files, when alpha is 0, it denotes transparent pixels, while an alpha of 255 signifies opaque pixels. Furthermore, when file alpha is 1-254 pixels, it represents translucent pixels.
Best use case of HEIC files
- It is suitable for photoshoots owing to its high efficiency and impressive resolution, making HEIC images look professional and allowing users to store multiple high-resolution images on a single device.
- It is suitable for creating animation because it is easily convertible to GIFs, which can create moving animations from the stored HEIC image sequences.
- It is suitable for action shoot capturing since HEIC helps users store various images or files in specific files using the burst mode or live photos functionality, which captures different high-quality actions of objects in motion with just a click.
- Suitable for images with different color backgrounds as it supports transparency.
Unrecommend use cases of HEIC files.
- Unsuitable for creating images or photos that may require future edits after conversion into other file formats.
- Unsuitable for use outside non-Apple devices because its compatibility requires using third-party software
- Unsuitable for use in browsers other than Safari
HEIC Browser support
Only Safari, Google Workspace, or Google Marketplace natively support the HEIC file format. However, the file format is not yet supported in major browsers and email browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, and Internet Explorer.
Possible HEIC browser Errors
- Possible errors encountered when using HEIC image files include:
- File not supported error
- File not found error
- Wrong file uploaded
- Corrupted file error
- Server-test failure
Advantages of HEIC
- Comprehensive Metadata and Transparency: HEIC can store, transfer, or share detailed image information, location information, or editing history, which helps users revert to the original image.
- Transparency: HEIC supports transparency, which enables users to change image backgrounds.
- High-quality images: HEIC supports High Dynamics Range (HDR) images and advanced image features, namely Wide Color Range (WCR), 10-bit and 16-bit color, retains high image resolutions, and hardly compromises image quality.
- Animations and Multiple Images: HEIC stores short animations and multiple images in one file, allowing users to create animated images or sequences.
- Efficient Storage: HEIC’s advanced and efficient compression technique creates comparatively smaller images or files than PNG and JPEG files, saving storage space on devices and platforms.
- Lossy and Lossless Compression: HEIC files or images support lossy and lossless compression, enabling webmasters, designers, and users to select between minimizing file sizes and preserving image quality based on individual needs.
- Speed Efficiency: HEIC files or images can be downloaded or uploaded faster on cloud storage platforms such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
Disadvantages of HEIC
- Compatibility Issues: HEIC files are primarily compatible with Apple products and cannot be uploaded or edited on non-compatible devices or platforms.
- Limited adoption: HEIC files or images are not universally supported, and the adoption rate is relatively low.
How to open HEIC files
HEIC file format can be opened in Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Paint.net, PaintShop Pro, Pixelmator, Krita, Digikam, Apple Preview, Darktable, Affinity Photo, XnView, File Viewer Plus, ACDSee, Zoner Photo Studio, Apple Photos, HEIC Image Viewer Decorder, ImageMagick, and GIMP.
HEIC is fully compatible with operating systems, including Apple MacOS High Sierra and newer, Apple iOS 11 and Newer, Android Pie, and newer versions.
HEIC files can be opened or are supported by Samsung, Multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs, Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z9, Fujifilm X-H2S, X-H2, and X-T5, Sony, Hasselblad X2D, and Canon operating systems.
On the other hand, Windows 10 version 18.09 or later also supports HEIC. Linux or Windows computers require third-party software to open HEIC files.
Converting HEIC
Use online HEIC converters such as “convertjack†to convert your HEIC file to WEBP, JPEG, GIF, PDF, SVG, BMP, TIFF, and ICO.