Images to PDF
HEIC vs HEIF: what the image file extensions mean
By DeckleUpdated
HEIF is the High Efficiency Image File Format, and HEIC is the file extension iPhones and iPads use for photos saved in it. For everyday purposes they mean the same thing: a .heic or .heif file is a photo in Apple's default camera format. If an app or website will not accept one, convert it with HEIC to PDF, or set the camera to save JPEG instead.
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HEIF and HEIC in one table
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| HEIF | The container format: a way of storing one or more images, plus extras such as depth or a thumbnail, in one file |
| HEIC | A HEIF file whose images are compressed with HEVC (H.265), and the .heic extension Apple uses for it |
.heif |
The general extension for HEIF files, used by some other cameras and apps |
| HEVC | The video codec whose image mode compresses the pictures inside a HEIC file |
Apple introduced HEIF for photos in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, and notes that it offers better compression than JPEG while preserving the same visual quality (Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices).
Why HEIC causes trouble
HEIC is efficient but not universal. Many Windows apps, older software, online forms and document portals do not accept it. That is why people search for ways to turn HEIC into PDF or JPG. The photo is fine; the recipient's software is the problem.
Apple's devices smooth some of this over. According to Apple, sharing by AirDrop, Messages or email may send a more compatible format, such as JPEG, when the receiving device does not support HEIF, and importing over USB into Photos, Image Capture or a PC may convert the photo to JPEG. So the same photo can be HEIC on your phone and JPEG on your computer.
How to convert HEIC to PDF with Deckle
- Open HEIC to PDF and choose Select files, or drop the
.heicor.heifphotos onto the page. - Put the photos in order with the up and down arrows, and rotate any that are sideways.
- Choose Fit inside A4 for a document, or Match each image for photo-sized pages.
- Choose Create PDF and download the PDF.
The HEIC decoder runs in your browser, so Deckle does not rely on a HEIF extension in Windows. It downloads the first time you convert a HEIC file. Each photo is saved into the PDF as a high-quality JPEG, because a PDF cannot hold HEIC data. How to convert iPhone photos to PDF covers the full process, including photos that arrive as JPG.
HEIC files that hold more than one image
Because HEIF is a container, one file can hold several images, such as an animation, an image sequence or a collection of related pictures. HEIC to PDF accepts files with one image and refuses files with several, rather than quietly keeping only one and losing the others. Export the image you want as a single photo from your photo app first.
A Live Photo is different. It is a still HEIC photo paired with a short video file. Converting it gives one page from the still; the motion and sound are not part of the HEIC and cannot go into a PDF page. See what a PDF keeps from a Live Photo.
Stop your iPhone saving HEIC
If you need JPEG all the time, change the camera format. Apple's steps: open Settings, tap Camera, tap Formats, then tap Most Compatible. New photos and videos are then saved as JPEG and H.264. Choose High Efficiency to go back. Existing photos are not changed.
Most Compatible uses more storage, so many people keep High Efficiency and convert only when needed.
Convert HEIC to JPEG on a Mac
Apple documents two ways. In Preview, open the photo, choose File > Export and pick JPEG or PNG in the Format menu (Convert image file types using Preview on Mac). In Photos, select the photos, choose File > Export > Export Photos and pick JPEG in the Photo Kind menu (Export photos on Mac). Either gives you a JPEG you can put through JPG to PDF. Going through JPEG first does not improve the PDF; HEIC to PDF or JPEG first compares the two routes.
Frequently asked questions
Is HEIC the same as HEIF?
For iPhone photos, yes in practice. HEIF is the container format and HEIC is a HEIF file using HEVC compression, with Apple's .heic extension.
Is HEIC better quality than JPEG?
Apple says HEIF keeps the same visual quality as JPEG at a smaller file size. The main advantage is storage, not visible sharpness.
Can Windows open HEIC files?
Not every Windows app can. Deckle's HEIC to PDF decodes HEIC with its own decoder in the browser, not with Windows' HEIF support.
Why does my HEIC file turn into a JPG when I email it?
Apple shares a more compatible format, such as JPEG, when the receiving device may not support HEIF.
Related tools
- HEIC to PDF to convert HEIC and HEIF photos to PDF
- JPG to PDF for photos that are already JPEG
- Merge PDFs to join HEIC and JPG conversions