HEIC vs JPG: Which Should You Use?

HEIC and JPG are both “photo” formats, but they are optimized for different things:

• HEIC is great for saving space on modern devices (especially iPhones).
• JPG is the universal “everyone can open it” format.

So the practical answer is usually: keep HEIC for your personal photo library, and convert to JPG when you need to share or publish.

If you need a safe output right now, use: HEIC to JPG.

What HEIC is good at

HEIC files often look great at smaller file sizes. That is why iPhones use it by default.

HEIC is a good choice when:

• You are staying inside the Apple ecosystem (Photos, iMessage, iCloud).
• You want smaller files while keeping strong quality.
• You are archiving lots of photos on your phone.

What JPG is good at

JPG has been everywhere for decades. It is the least surprising image format you can send to:

• A Windows PC
• A website or CMS upload form
• An email attachment
• A printer or photo kiosk
• Older editing software

If you are trying to avoid “I can’t open this file” messages, JPG is usually the answer.

Does converting HEIC to JPG reduce quality?

Sometimes, but it is usually not noticeable if you do it once with sensible settings.

The quality pitfalls are usually from repeated recompression (HEIC -> JPG -> JPG again and again). A good workflow is:

1. Keep the original HEIC as your “master”
2. Convert to JPG only when you need to share/publish
3. Avoid re-saving the JPG multiple times if you care about maximum quality

HEIC vs JPG for the web

If you publish images online, JPG is still the compatibility baseline. But for performance, WebP (and sometimes AVIF) can be better delivery formats.

A practical workflow is:

1. Keep HEIC originals as your archive.
2. Convert to JPG when you need a compatible export: HEIC to JPG
3. If you are publishing, optionally convert the JPG to a web format:
   • JPG to WebP
   • JPG to AVIF

When PNG makes more sense than JPG

PNG is not a photo format in the same way. It is often a better choice for:

• Screenshots
• UI mockups
• Images with sharp text
• Graphics with transparency

If that sounds like your use case, try: HEIC to PNG.

A simple decision checklist

• Need maximum compatibility? Convert to JPG: HEIC to JPG
• Need lossless-ish output for graphics/text? Convert to PNG: HEIC to PNG
• Need smaller web images? Consider WebP after conversion: HEIC to WebP

Related reading

• Windows-specific steps: HEIC to JPG on Windows
• Batch workflow: Batch convert HEIC to JPG

FAQ

• Should I turn off HEIC on my iPhone? If you constantly share photos with non-Apple users, switching to JPG can reduce friction, but it increases file size. Many people keep HEIC and convert only when needed.
• Is JPG “worse” than HEIC? They’re different trade-offs. HEIC often saves space, JPG wins compatibility. Quality differences depend on settings and how many times you recompress.
• Is this private? Yes. QuickImager converts locally in your browser with no uploads.

If you are ready to convert: Open the HEIC to JPG converter.