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HEVC vs H.264 on iPhone: which one?

The short answer

Use High Efficiency (HEVC) unless you need to share with older devices. Apple says HEVC offers better compression than H.264, so it uses less storage while keeping the same visual quality. One third-party test puts the saving at about 50%. Most Compatible records H.264 and JPEG, which more devices can open.

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How to do it

  1. Check your current camera format

    Open Settings, tap Camera, then tap Formats. High Efficiency means HEVC and HEIF. Most Compatible means H.264 and JPEG.

  2. Decide who needs to open your videos

    If you mostly watch on recent Apple devices, keep High Efficiency. If you often send videos to older devices or other systems and see playback problems, consider Most Compatible.

  3. Choose a format when you share

    In the Photos app, open a video, tap Share, tap Options, and pick Automatic, Current or Most Compatible before you send.

HEVC and H.264 in plain terms

HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265) is the newer video format. H.264 is the older one. Apple explains on its HEIF and HEVC page that HEIF and HEVC offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less storage space on your devices and iCloud Photos while preserving the same visual quality.

On the iPhone, the choice appears in Settings, Camera, Formats:

Camera formatVideoPhotosGood for
High EfficiencyHEVCHEIFSaving space; Apple recommends it
Most CompatibleH.264JPEGOlder devices and other systems

How much space does HEVC save?

Apple does not give a percentage. According to Compresto, HEVC cuts file size by about 50% compared with H.264 at the same visual quality. DualCam found that H.264 roughly doubles the size of an hour of 4K video compared with HEVC. Both are approximate vendor figures, and results vary by video.

When to use Most Compatible

Apple’s page says capturing in HEIF and HEVC is recommended, but you can set the iPhone to the older formats, which are more broadly compatible with other devices and operating systems. To do it, tap Formats, then tap Most Compatible. All new photos and videos then use JPEG or H.264. To go back, choose High Efficiency.

Apple adds that on some older devices, HEVC playback is affected by resolution and frame rate, and that resolutions of 1080p or lower and frame rates of 60 fps or lower are more broadly compatible.

You may not need to change the setting at all. Apple says that when you share with AirDrop, Messages or email and the receiving device does not support the newer formats, the media might automatically be shared in a more compatible format such as H.264.

Choose the format when you share

In the Photos app, open a video, tap Share, then tap Options. Apple’s sharing guide says you can tap Automatic for the best file format for the destination, Current to prevent a file format conversion, or Most Compatible, where files may convert to JPEG or MOV.

Where PicWay fits

Camera format is an iPhone setting. What PicWay can do is shrink videos that already take up space. It has two levels: Standard compression and Strong compression. The first time you compress, PicWay uses Standard. Each makes a new video and keeps the original until you tap Compare, check the result, and delete the original yourself.

For the full steps, see how to compress video on iPhone.

Quick answers

Is HEVC the same as H.265?

Yes. Apple describes HEVC as also known as H.265.

Will HEVC videos play on other devices?

Often, but not always on older devices. If a receiving device does not support the newer format, Apple says the media might be shared in a more compatible format automatically.

Does switching to Most Compatible change old videos?

Apple says all new photos and videos use the older formats. It does not say existing ones change.

Does High Efficiency lower the quality?

Apple says HEVC preserves the same visual quality as H.264 while using less space.