To save storage space and increase the quality of photos and videos, Apple switched from JPG to HEIF a few years ago. High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) compresses the file size of photos taken with the latest generation of iPhone and iPad.
Videos are saved with HEVC (h.265) compression. This makes files 50% smaller, but the quality is the same or even better. The option has been available as standard since iOS 11, but is not always activated automatically. You can activate and use this via the settings. However, you must take a number of things into account.
Enable HEIF and HEVC on iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings
- Navigate to ‘Camera’
- Tap on ‘Structures’
Choose ‘High Efficiency’ to use HEIF/HEVC. When you choose ‘Most Compatible’ the ‘old’ structure JPEG and H.264 are used. Good to know: Only new photos and videos get this structure, old media is not converted.
Please note, only the following iPhone and iPad models can capture photos and videos with this file format: iPhone 7 (Plus) or later, iPad (6th generation) or later, iPad Air (3rd generation) or later, iPad mini (5th generation) or later, iPad Pro (10.5-inch), and iPad Pro 2018 or later.
Pros and cons for photos and videos
When the new format was introduced, there were still some drawbacks to HEIF and HEVC. For example, it was limitedly supported by third-party apps and platforms. In the meantime, a few years have passed and most third-party video and photo editing apps support the new format.
If this is not the case, Apple has fortunately come up with a solution for this. Via Settings â–¸ Photos â–¸ Transfer to Mac or PC you have the option to choose ‘Automatic’. When you then share a photo to a Mac, PC or even another iOS device that does not support the new format, your iPhone or iPad will automatically convert the photos and videos to the old format. If you choose ‘Keep Originals’, the original file will always be transferred, in this case the HEIF or HEVC file.
Converter for older Macs and PCs
As described above, Photos can convert the file itself when sharing a photo. But you can also install and use a converter on your Mac or PC. Then you can easily convert the photos and videos that have the new structure to a readable version for your old Mac or PC. You can do this, for example, with the free tool HEIC Converter by iMazing.