HEIC and HEIF on Android: Compatibility Guide
Does Android support HEIC and HEIF photos? Learn which Android versions support HEIC, how to enable it, and how to convert HEIC for compatibility.
Table of Contents
Does Android Support HEIC?
Android 9 (Pie) and later include native support for HEIF/HEIC images through the platform's built-in codec. However, support varies by manufacturer — Samsung, Google Pixel, and OnePlus devices generally have good HEIC support, while some budget devices may not include the required codecs.
How to Enable HEIC on Android
On Android 10+ devices with HEIC support, go to your camera app's settings and look for "Format" or "Storage format" options. Select "High Efficiency" or "HEIF/HEIC" to start capturing photos in HEIC format. Note that not all Android camera apps expose this setting.
HEIC Viewing on Android
Android's default Gallery app and Google Photos both support viewing HEIC/HEIF images on Android 9+ devices. Third-party gallery apps may or may not support HEIC — check the app description for "HEIC" or "HEIF" compatibility before downloading.
Sharing HEIC Photos from Android
When sharing HEIC photos from an Android device, some messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram) automatically convert them to JPEG for compatibility. However, email attachments and cloud uploads may retain the original HEIC format, which can cause viewing problems on older devices.
Converting HEIC on Android
Several Android apps can convert HEIC to JPEG: Google Photos can export as JPEG, and file manager apps like Solid Explorer include format conversion. For a no-install solution, use our online HEIC converter in Chrome or any Android browser — all processing happens in your browser, and files never leave your device.
HEIC vs JPEG on Android: Storage Impact
Using HEIC on Android can reduce photo storage by 40-50% compared to JPEG. On a device with 128GB storage, this means roughly twice as many photos can be stored. For users who take many photos, enabling HEIC is one of the easiest ways to free up space without deleting photos.
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