High Efficiency Image File Format: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:42, 11 December 2024

Revision as of 21:49, 11 December 2024

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| standard = ISO/IEC 23008-12 (MPEG-H Part 12)

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'''High Efficiency Image File Format''' ('''HEIF''') is an international standard defined by [[MPEG-H]] Part 12 (ISO/IEC 3008-12), first published by ISO in 2017. It is designed as a container for photographic images ''in any image encoding. '''. HEIF is a special case of the general [[ISO base media file format|ISO BMFF]] format''', in which all data is encapsulated in typed boxes, with a mandatory ftyp box that is used to indicate particular file types. The initial specification for HEIF provided usage details for three compression schemes, the widely supported JPEG encoding for still raster images and two video encodings that are also applicable to still image items, namely Advanced Video Coding (AVC, aka MPEG-4, Part 10 and H.264) and High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC aka PEG-H Part 2 and H.265).

ISO Base Media File Format official specification (of which HEIF is a special case) defines multiple subtypes in relations to possible encodings:

* MJP2_FF, Motion JPEG 2000 File Format

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* Lenovo

The uncertainty of patent encumbering is farther strengthened by unclear patents holders wordings. Holders of relevant patents, stated to the ISO that "the holders of these patent rights have assured the ISO and IEC that they are willing to negotiate licenses under reasonable and non-discriminatory terms." The specification also cautions that "some of the elements . . . may be the subject of patent rights other than those identified."

== History ==

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On some systems, pictures stored in the HEIC format are converted automatically to the older JPEG format when they are sent outside of the system, although incompatibility has led to problems such as US [[Advanced Placement]] test takers failing due to their phones uploading unsupported HEIC images by default,<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/20/21262302/ap-test-fail-iphone-photos-glitch-email-college-board-jpeg-heic |date=2020-05-02 |access-date=2022-08-25 |title=Students are failing AP tests because the College Board can't handle iPhone photos |publisher=[[The Verge]] |author= Monica Chin}}</ref> leading the [[College Board]] to request students change the settings to send only JPEG files.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=CollegeBoard |number=1260208235132436480 |title=If you want to submit a photo of a handwritten AP Exam answer from an iPhone or iPad, make sure to change your camera settings so your photos are saved as JPEGs, not HEICs.}}</ref>

Although HEIC is gaining in popularity there are issues with compatibility. For example, [[Adobe Photoshop]] is an example of a popular image editing software that only supports 8-bit HEIC and not 10-bit or 12-bit HEIC yet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=File formats in Adobe Photoshop |url=https://helpx.adobe.com/au/photoshop/using/file-formats.html}}</ref>

Camera hardware (including mobile devices) are increasingly supporting outputting HEIC files and with color depth often higher than 8-bit color.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A bit confused: what's a HEIF and why do we need 10-bit stills and video? |url=https://www.dpreview.com/learn/6184595294/10-bit-stills-a-look-at-raw-log-and-the-future-of-photography |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=DPReview}}</ref>

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== Encodings inside the container ==

<!-- Improve the below paragraph as it doesn't adhere to Wikipedia's standards. -->The HEIF container specification describes various encodings that can be stored inside it:

* JFIF (JPEG)

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* HEVC

These may lead to confusion, as users cannot easily tell what kind of encoding has been used. In particular,since if a user creates or receives a <code>.heif</code> image, they cannot immediately determine which image encoding was used. FurtherFurthermore, presenting HEIF as better than JPEG may be misleading since the truth of that statement depends on chosen encoding.

{{anchor|MIAF}}{{anchor|MPEG-A}}

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=== MIAF ===

The Multi-Image Application Format (MIAF) is a restricted subset of HEIF specified as part of [[MPEG-A]].

It defines a set of additional constraints to simplify format options, specific alpha plane formats, profiles, and levels as well as metadata formats and brands, and rules for how to extend the format.<ref name="MIAF">{{citation |title= ISO/IEC 23000-22. Multimedia application format (MPEG-A) — Part 22: Multi-image application format (MIAF) |publisher= ISO/IEC MPEG |url= https://www.iso.org/standard/74417.html |access-date= 2020-04-29 |archive-date= 2020-04-26 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200426173836/https://www.iso.org/standard/74417.html |url-status= live }}</ref>

{{anchor|HEIC}}{{anchor|HEVC}}

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{{See also|AVIF#Support}}

*[[Nokia]] provides an open source [[Java (programming language)|Java]] HEIF decoder.<ref name="Nokia">{{cite web |subject=High Efficiency Image File Format |title=HEIF Technical Information |url=https://nokiatech.github.io/heif/technical.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201152802/http://nokiatech.github.io/heif/technical.html |archive-date=2018-02-01 |access-date=2018-02-01 |website=nokiatech.github.io |publisher=Nokia |at=Images in HEIF Files}}</ref>

* The open source library "libheif" supports reading and writing HEIF files.<ref name="libheif">{{cite web |url=https://github.com/strukturag/libheif|title=strukturag/libheif |date=May 17, 2021|via=GitHub |access-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-date=June 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602131612/https://github.com/strukturag/libheif |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=strukturag/libheif|url=https://github.com/strukturag/libheif/releases|access-date=2020-06-17|website=GitHub |archive-date=2020-06-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618003355/https://github.com/strukturag/libheif/releases|url-status=live}}</ref> From version 1.8.0, both reading and writing HEIC and [[AVIF]] are supported.<ref name="libheif" />

* An image codec called CopyTrans HEIC, which is free for personal use and available for Windows versions 7 through 10, supports opening HEIF files in [[Windows Photo Viewer]] without the Microsoft codec installed. (The Microsoft HEIC codec is only available for Windows 10, version 1803 and up in the Photos [[Universal Windows Platform|UWP]] app.)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.copytrans.net/copytransheic/|title=Open HEIC files on Windows|website=CopyTrans.net|access-date=2018-09-27|archive-date=2018-09-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916121137/https://www.copytrans.net/copytransheic/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Operating systems ===

* [[Windows 10]] [[Windows 10 version history|version 1803]] and later (HEIC), [[Windows 10 version history|version 1903]] and later (AVIF): [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/heif-image-extensions/9pmmsr1cgpwg HEIF Image Extension] is needed to read and write files that use the HEIF format. [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/hevc-video-extensions/9nmzlz57r3t7 HEVC Video Extensions] is needed to play and produce HEVC-encoded video content. A small amount of money is charged for the use of the HEVC codec, whereas support for the generic HEIF format and the AVC and AV1 extensions are free.<ref name="Win1083">{{cite news |url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/03/16/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-17123-for-fast/#UpPIwc3yVgJHc5Q8.97 |title=Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17123 for Fast Ring Subscribers |access-date=2018-03-16 |archive-date=2020-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806161103/https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/03/16/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-17123-for-fast/#UpPIwc3yVgJHc5Q8.97 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{citation needed|reason=This material is by Microsoft itself and doesn't address the possibility to plug Open-Source encoders/decoders into the system|date=October 2024}}

* [[Windows 11]]: since 22H2, Windows 11 has HEIF Image Extension built-in by default.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/heic-format-support-changes-in-2023-11-cumulative|title=HEIC format support changes in 2023-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5032190)|date=2023-11-19}}</ref>

* [[macOS High Sierra]] and later (HEIC only)<ref name="CBS">{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-answers-iphone-storage-woes-with-smaller-photos-videos/ |title=Apple answers iPhone storage woes with smaller photos, videos |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=2017-06-05 |website=[[CNET]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=2017-09-30 |archive-date=2021-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122041854/https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-answers-iphone-storage-woes-with-smaller-photos-videos/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Since [[macOS Mojave]], Apple uses HEIF in creating the Dynamic Desktop feature.<ref name="Itnext ft 1">{{cite web |url=https://itnext.io/macos-mojave-dynamic-wallpaper-fd26b0698223 |title=macOS Mojave dynamic wallpaper |publisher=ITNEXT |first=Marcin |last=Czachurski |date=2018-06-29 |access-date=2018-09-18 |archive-date=2019-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303005413/https://itnext.io/macos-mojave-dynamic-wallpaper-fd26b0698223 |url-status=live }}</ref>