Image MIME Reference
HEIF
High Efficiency Image File Format
image/heif
VS
JPEG Image
image/jpeg
JPEG
A complete technical comparison of High Efficiency Image File Format and JPEG Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
JPEG wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | HEIF | JPEG |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | Yes |
| HDR Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | Yes |
High Efficiency Image File Format
image/heif
Extension
.heif.hif
Container
HEIF / ISOBMFF (ISO/IEC 14496-12)
Compression
Lossy / Lossless
Algorithm
Codec Agnostic (HEVC, AVC, JPEG, AV1)
Color Depth
8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit, 16-bit
Developed by
Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)
Released
2015
Magic Bytes
XX XX XX XX 66 74 79 70 6D 69 66 31
JPEG Image
image/jpeg
Extension
.jpg.jpeg.jpe.jfif
Container
JFIF / Exif
Compression
Lossy
Algorithm
DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform)
Color Depth
8-bit
Developed by
Joint Photographic Experts Group
Released
1992
Magic Bytes
FF D8 FF
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | HEIF | JPEG |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Firefox
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Safari
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Edge
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ |
✓
|
HEIF
HEIF Strengths
- Highly flexible container that can store image bursts, animations, focal stacks, and stereo 3D images in one file
- Natively supports depth maps and alpha channels, making it perfect for computational photography
- When paired with modern codecs like HEVC or AV1, it provides massive storage savings over legacy formats like JPEG
Limitations
- Codec agnosticism makes broad software decoding difficult, as the container might hold proprietary or unsupported codecs
- Zero cross-platform web browser support, requiring conversion for online publishing
- Often confused with the more specific 'image/heic' and 'image/avif' MIME types
JPEG
JPEG Strengths
- Universal support — every browser, OS, and application handles JPEG
- Excellent compression for complex photographs with natural color gradients
- Rich metadata support: EXIF (GPS, camera settings), ICC color profiles
Limitations
- No transparency — cannot have a transparent background
- Lossy compression introduces visible artifacts on sharp edges and text
- No animation support
When to choose which format
HEIF
Use HEIF when…
- Digital Photography
- Camera Capture
- Image Archiving
- Multi-image composites
JPEG
Use JPEG when…
- Photography
- Websites
- Social Media