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What is HEIC and HEIF?
HEIC (High-Efficiency Image Coding) and HEIF (High-Efficiency Image Format) are modern image file formats designed to improve image quality and reduce file size, utilizing advanced compression techniques. HEIC is a specific file extension used for images in the HEIF format, which is based on the High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) or H.265 codec.
The HEIF is a highly optimized container format designed for storing individual images and image sequences with improved compression efficiency, superior quality, and advanced capabilities compared to older formats like JPEG. It is standardized under MPEG-H Part 12 (ISO/IEC 23008-12) and is primarily based on HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, H.265) for image compression.
Potential Use Cases for HEIC and HEIF File Formats Include:
- The container structure allows HEIF to store not only images but also metadata, image sequences (such as bursts of photos), and auxiliary data like depth maps or alpha channels. The modularity of this container allows flexibility in storing multiple types of related content in a single file, making it ideal for capturing a series of moments or even short videos within a single file.
- Focal and exposure stacks can be stored in the same container file.
- Images derived from other images can be stored as non-destructive edits or pre-computed derived images.
- Apple popularized HEIC/HEIF in 2017 with the release of iOS 11, where HEIC became the default image format for iPhone and iPad cameras. Android devices, particularly those running newer versions, also support HEIC, helping users save storage space while maintaining high image quality.
HEIF is based on the ISO Base Media File Format (ISOBMFF), which is the same underlying format used by MP4 video files. In ISOBMFF, a continuous, timed media or metadata stream makes up a track, while static media or metadata is stored as items. Therefore, HEIF adheres to the following fundamental design principles:
- Still images are saved as items. Typically, image items are coded independently and do not rely on any other item for decoding. If predictively coded image items with coding dependencies are present, this is clearly signalled. The number of any image items included in the same file.
- Image sequences are stored as tracks. An image sequence track can be displayed as a timed sequence or in a non-timed manner, such as a gallery of images. An image sequence track may be used instead of image items when there is coding dependency between images.
HEIF-Related Brands and MIME Types
This table breaks down the different brands, codecs, and how they are represented in file extensions and MIME types. The following information should be remembered when dealing with HEIF files:
- Brand: Represents the Four Character Code used to indicate the specific HEIF variant or compatibility.
- Coding: This refers to the codec used to compress and store images such as HEVC or AV1.
- Format: This indicates that the file is based on the HEIF container format.
- Image or Sequence: Specifies whether the file stores a single image or a sequence of images, such as bursts or videos.
- MIME Type: The general type category for the image format is always “image”.
- MIME Subtype: The specific subtype for the HEIF format such as heif, heic, or avif.
- File Extension: The standard file extension used for the specific format.
| Brand | Coding | Format | Image or Sequence | MIME Type | MIME Subtype | File Extension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| heic | HEVC | HEIF | Single Image | image | heic | .heic |
| heix | Various (HEVC, AVC, JPEG) | HEIF | Single Image or Sequence | image | heif | .heif |
| hevc | HEVC | HEIF | Image Sequence | image | heif | .heif |
| mif1 | General (Base Format) | HEIF | Single Image | image | heif | .heif |
| msf1 | HEVC or Other | HEIF | Multi-Image Sequence | image | heif | .heif |
| avif | AV1 | HEIF | Single Image or Sequence | image | avif | .avif |
| heis | HEVC | HEIF | Image Sequence | image | heif | .heif |
Comparison to Other Image Formats
The following table compares the features of HEIF and HEIC to other selected image formats. It is evident that these formats are more versatile and comprehensive than the different file formats. Specifically, its ability to include other media types, advanced multi-picture features, and support for non-destructive editing make HEIF and HEIC more advanced than other formats. These rich features make HEIF and HEIC suitable for a wide range of devices and applications, including burst photography.
| Image Format | Base Container File Format | Lossy Compression | Lossless Compression | Extensible to Other Coding Formats | Metadata Format (on top of internal) | Extensible to Other Metadata Formats | Other Media Types (Audio, Text, etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEIF/HEIC | ISO Base Media File Format (ISO BMFF) | Yes | Yes | Yes (supports HEVC, JPEG, AV1) | Exif, XMP, and MPEG-7 | Yes (IPTC, custom metadata) | Yes (Supports video, audio, depth maps, auxiliary images, text) |
| JPEG | None (Standalone format) | Yes | No | No | Exif, XMP | Limited (Some custom implementations for IPTC) | No |
| PNG | None (Standalone format) | No | Yes | No | Exif, iTXt (internal PNG metadata) | Limited (Some XMP implementations) | No |
| GIF | None (Standalone format) | Yes (Limited) | No | No | Internal block metadata (minimal) | No | Yes (Basic animation and text support) |
| TIFF | None (Standalone format) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Supports JPEG, JPEG2000, and others) | Exif, XMP, IPTC | Yes | Yes (Multi-page documents, text, and layers) |
| WebP | RIFF (Resource Interchange File Format) | Yes | Yes | No | XMP, Exif | Yes (Limited IPTC support) | No |
| BMP | None (Standalone format) | No | Yes | No | Limited internal metadata | No | No |
| RAW | Camera-specific or proprietary container | No | No (Technically uncompressed or minimally compressed) | No | Exif, proprietary metadata formats | Yes (Proprietary and custom metadata) | No |
| SVG | XML-based container | No (Vector-based) | No (Vector-based) | Yes (Supports embedded PNG, JPEG) | Metadata embedded in XML structure | Yes (Any custom XML metadata) | Yes (Supports text, interactive scripts) |
| AVIF | ISO Base Media File Format (ISO BMFF) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Supports AV1, HEVC) | Exif, XMP, MPEG-7 | Yes | Yes (Supports video, audio, auxiliary data) |
- HEIF/HEIC is highly flexible due to its ISO Base Media File Format foundation, which allows it to extend to various media types (video, audio, and even depth maps) and supports both lossy and lossless compression.
- Other formats like JPEG, PNG, and GIF have more limited extensibility, primarily focusing on static images without support for audio or text and fewer options for metadata expansion.
- Formats like TIFF and AVIF also offer significant extensibility, especially in terms of compression methods and metadata handling, but HEIF/HEIC goes further in supporting other media types like depth maps and auxiliary images.
Compression Performance
Here’s a comparison table that highlights the compression performance of HEIF/HEIC against other common image file formats, focusing on the specified details: Class, Resolution, and Characteristics.
| Format | Class | Resolution | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEIF/HEIC | Advanced Image Format | Supports up to 8K |
|
| JPEG | Lossy Image Format | Supports up to 65 MP |
|
| PNG | Lossless Image Format | Supports up to 48 MP |
|
| GIF | Lossless Image Format | Up to 256 colors (8-bit) |
|
| WebP | Advanced Image Format | Supports up to 16 MP |
|
| TIFF | Lossless Image Format | Supports very high resolutions |
|
- HEIF/HEIC excels in compression performance and quality retention, making it suitable for modern applications requiring high resolutions and features like HDR.
- JPEG remains widely used due to its compatibility and reasonable quality for photographs but falls short in efficiency and features compared to HEIF/HEIC.
- PNG is preferred for images requiring transparency and lossless compression but results in larger files.
- GIF is mostly used for simple animations and is not suitable for high-quality photography.
- WebP offers a balance between size and quality, supporting advanced features but with varying levels of adoption.
- TIFF is often used in professional and archival contexts due to its high quality, although file sizes can be significantly larger.
Properties of Images
HEIF/HEIC enables the storage of image characteristics that are shared among different image items efficiently. This table integrates both the descriptive and transformative properties of these image formats for a more comprehensive overview.
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File Format | Descriptive | HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) or HEIC (High Efficiency Image Coding) is a container format for images and sequences. |
| Compression Algorithm | Descriptive | Uses HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), also known as H.265, for efficient image compression. |
| File Extension | Descriptive | Commonly uses .heif or .heic extensions. |
| Color Depth | Descriptive | Supports up to 16-bit color depth, providing higher color accuracy than JPEG (8-bit). |
| Multiple Image Support | Descriptive | Can store multiple images in one file, such as bursts or sequences (ideal for live photos or animations). |
| EXIF Metadata | Descriptive | Supports EXIF metadata, including camera settings, GPS data, and timestamps. |
| Image Sequence | Descriptive | Capable of storing image sequences or bursts within a single file (e.g., animations, live photos). |
| Lossless Compression | Descriptive | Can support both lossy and lossless compression, depending on settings and requirements. |
| Compression Ratio | Transformative | Achieves better compression ratios compared to JPEG with similar or better image quality. |
| Image Editing Support | Transformative | Supports non-destructive editing, allowing edits to be saved without altering the original image data. |
| File Size Reduction | Transformative | Results in smaller file sizes compared to other formats (like JPEG/PNG) without significant quality loss. |
| Advanced Compression | Transformative | Uses block-based motion-compensation techniques from HEVC to improve compression efficiency. |
| Dynamic Range Support | Transformative | Enables high dynamic range (HDR) images with better contrast and color vibrancy. |
| Live Photos & Animation | Transformative | Can store motion sequences (e.g., Apple Live Photos) and supports animations within a single file. |
| Metadata Editing | Transformative | Enables manipulation or embedding of metadata (such as geotags, and exposure settings) without re-encoding. |
| Frame Extraction | Transformative | Enables frame-by-frame extraction from image sequences, especially useful for burst shots or motion capture. |
Image Metadata
HEIF and HEIC files can store extensive metadata, including standard EXIF, XMP, and IPTC, which enhances their versatility. Unlike older formats like JPEG, HEIC/HEIF can store multiple images, audio, and depth maps in a single file. Metadata can be embedded within the file without significantly increasing its size, making HEIF/HEIC highly efficient for organizing, sharing, and editing images without losing essential details.
The metadata for individual image or image sequences is stored using a flexible structure. Each image or image sequence (like burst shots or live photos) can have its metadata block. HEIF’s structure allows metadata to be embedded for each frame in a sequence, enabling advanced use cases like storing different settings for each frame or depth maps. For example, EXIF data is stored within the container for each image, including information like camera settings, location, and timestamps.
Storing HEVC Encoded Pictures in HEIF and HEIC
HEIF and HEIC are modern file formats designed to store images and image sequences efficiently, using the power of HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding). HEVC or H.265 provides advanced compression capabilities, allowing for significant reductions in file sizes while maintaining high image quality. When applied to still images, HEVC offers similar benefits as it does for video, with high compression rates and superior image quality at lower bitrates.
- HEVC-coded images are encapsulated in HEIF-compliant files by adhering to specific requirements for the structure and encoding process.
- For a single image encoded with HEVC, the image data is stored in the mdat box, and metadata is stored in the meta box.
- For storing multiple HEVC-coded images (e.g., an image burst or an animation), HEIF allows sequences of images to be stored efficiently.
- Each image in a sequence can be independently decoded, but the container allows for frame referencing and deduplication, saving additional space.
By encapsulating HEVC-coded images in HEIF, the file format provides advanced compression, reduced file sizes, and support for rich metadata, making it an ideal choice for next-generation imaging applications.
MS Technology’s Solutions
MS Technology has over 25 years of experience and the leader with the HEIC and HEIF format with all of our products including the MST Viewer, eViewer HTML5 document viewer, and MST Batch Converter. MS Technology’s solutions can overcome many of the disadvantages of the HEIC and HEIF format including using our OCR module to provide text search and selection, and annotate HEIC and HEIF files. Our powerful viewers and conversion tools enable you to view, convert, manipulate, combine, annotate, redact and print HEIC and HEIF files.