HEIF
High Efficiency Image Format
What is HEIF?
HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) is a container format based on the HEVC (H.265) codec, closely related to HEIC. While HEIC is a specific implementation of HEIF used by Apple, HEIF is the broader standard that can contain images encoded with different codecs including HEVC and AV1. HEIF supports image sequences, depth maps, HDR, and auxiliary images, making it a versatile format for modern photography.
Key Features
Common Use Cases
Advantages
- Roughly 50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent quality
- Supports HDR and wide color gamut
- Can store multiple images in one file
- Supports transparency and depth maps
- Based on efficient HEVC codec
- Broad ecosystem support growing
Limitations
- Limited Windows and browser support
- Patent-encumbered (HEVC licensing)
- Requires conversion for web use
- Not all image editors support HEIF
- Confusion with HEIC naming
- Slow adoption outside Apple ecosystem
Convert HEIF Files
Related Formats
Web Picture Format - WebP is a modern image format developed by Google that provides superior lossles...
AV1 Image File Format - AVIF is a next-generation image format based on the AV1 video codec, developed b...
High Efficiency Image Container - HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is a modern image format based on the HEV...
JPEG 2000 - JPEG 2000 is an image compression standard based on wavelet technology, offering...
JPEG XL - JPEG XL is a next-generation image format designed to replace both JPEG and PNG....
Quite OK Image Format - QOI (Quite OK Image Format) is a fast, lossless image format created by Dominic ...
Need to Convert Your Images?
xWebP supports converting between 25+ image formats. Fast, free, and secure.
Start Converting