High Efficiency Image File Format Sequence
image/heif-sequence
Released 2015
· by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)
An image/heif-sequence is a container format that stores a collection of images (an image sequence) within a High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) structure. Unlike HEIC sequences which are strictly bound to the HEVC codec, HEIF sequences are codec-agnostic and can encapsulate image bursts or animations encoded with various compression algorithms.
Technical Specifications
.heifs.heif.hif
Codec Agnostic (HEVC, AVC, JPEG, AV1)
image/heic-sequence
Magic Bytes & HTTP Headers
....ftypmsf1
Browser Support Matrix
| Browser | Status | Min Version |
|---|---|---|
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Not Supported | — |
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Not Supported | — |
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Not Supported | — |
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Not Supported | — |
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Not Supported | Legacy |
Advantages & Limitations
- Codec-agnostic container allows for extreme flexibility when storing multi-frame photographic data
- Maintains the space-saving benefits of ISOBMFF shared frame data blocks
- Excellent for archiving computational photography workloads like exposure brackets or focal stacks
- Codec ambiguity means a decoder might be able to parse the container but fail to decode the underlying pixels
- Zero native web browser support
- Complex container structure requires specialized parsing libraries to extract individual frames
Developer Code Snippets
File Detection Steps
How to programmatically detect a image/heif-sequence
file by reading its raw bytes:
- 1 Check bytes 4-7 for the 'ftyp' box identifier
- 2 Verify the major brand string at bytes 8-11 is 'msf1' (Multi-picture Sequence File)
Software Support
ImageMagick
Conversion Tools
Share & Embed
[](https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/heif-sequence)
<iframe src="https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/heif-sequence/embed" width="100%" height="280" style="border:1px solid #cbd5e1;border-radius:8px;" title="HEIF-Sequence Specs"></iframe>
JSON API
All data on this page is available as a free, open JSON API. Use it in your project, documentation, or tooling.
GET https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/heif-sequence.json
Open JSON
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between image/heif-sequence and image/heic-sequence?
Both utilize the ISOBMFF-based HEIF container for storing multiple frames. However, image/heic-sequence mandates the use of the HEVC (H.265) video codec for compression, while image/heif-sequence is a broader, codec-agnostic classification that can accommodate AVC, AV1, or JPEG encoded frames.
What is the magic byte for a HEIF sequence?
HEIF sequences begin with a standard ISOBMFF 4-byte box size, followed by the 'ftyp' identifier, and typically use the major brand 'msf1' (Multi-picture Sequence File). The hex sequence is XX XX XX XX 66 74 79 70 6D 73 66 31 (....ftypmsf1).
Do web browsers support image/heif-sequence?
No. Modern web browsers do not natively support HEIF sequence files. To display animated or burst content on the web, developers should convert HEIF sequences to standardized formats like MP4, Animated WebP, or Animated AVIF.