What is a HEIC File, and Why do iPhones Use It?
With the advancements in camera and software technology, we can now capture images in extreme detail. However, one side-effect of the drastic increase in photo quality has been a corresponding increase in the size of said photos. And while this may not be a major issue on a desktop system with numerous disk drives and terabytes upon terabytes of free space, it is a massive problem for smartphones and other devices with limited storage capacity.
One method to mitigate the need for more free space is to reduce the file size of the photos while maintaining the same quality. Apple did exactly that with the introduction of the HEIC (High-Efficiency Image File) file format. When compared to JPG, one of the most widely used image formats, HEIC delivers better quality in half the file size. HEIC image files are available on iPhone 7 or later and devices running iOS 11 or later.
While the benefits of this new file format are tremendous, there is one major drawback as HEIC is not supported by other devices widely. Admittedly, this negative aspect should become less and less relevant with time as HEIC becomes more accepted. However, for now, you no longer wish your iPhone to take HEIC photos, follow the instructions below:
- Go to your iPhone's Settings.
- Locate 'Camera' and tap on it.
- Tap on 'Formats.'
- Switch 'High Efficiency' to 'Most Compatible.'
Your iPhone will now stop using the HEIC format when you take pictures.