Where can I download a sample HEIC file?

On this page. For one ordinary HEIC image, download basic-8bit-srgb.heic: 1600 × 1200, 8-bit, 178.8 KB. To get all 29 files at once, use the download-all button for a 9.9 MB ZIP. Every file is free to use under CC0.

Can I use these HEIC example files in my own project?

Yes. They are released under CC0 1.0, so you can copy, change and redistribute them, including in commercial software, test suites and documentation, without asking and without credit. A link back is welcome but not required. The images are test charts we rendered ourselves, so there are no photos of people or third-party content to worry about.

Is there a HEIC HDR sample?

Yes, with a caveat. hdr-pq-10bit-bt2020.heic is a 10-bit HEIC that signals HDR in the standard way: BT.2020 primaries, the PQ transfer function, and content light level and mastering display boxes, with patches up to 1000 cd/m². It is not an iPhone-style HDR photo, which stores a normal image plus a gain map; this file has no gain map. Viewers that ignore PQ, including our own browser viewer, show it flat and washed out.

What is the difference between a HEIC and a HEIF file?

HEIF is the container format. A HEIC file is a HEIF file whose pictures are compressed with HEVC (H.265), usually with the brand heic and the .heic extension. The same container appears as .heif (often with the generic mif1 brand), as .hif on some cameras, as .heics for image sequences, and as .avif when the pictures use AV1 instead of HEVC. This page has one of each.

How should I use these files to test HEIC support?

Start with the basic file, then the orientation set, then the tiled 12 MP image, the 10-bit and 4:2:2 files and the 4:4:4 file, which exercise less common decoder paths. Use the broken files to check your error messages. Compare each result with the “Should look like” note and the preview, and check downloads with sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS. For automated tests, manifest.json lists every file's size, hash, dimensions, codec and features.

Are these real iPhone photos?

No. Every file is a test chart we rendered and encoded with libheif, so that each feature is visible and the files can be public domain. The 12 MP and 48 MP files use the same 512-pixel tile grid as iPhone photos, but none of the files has Apple maker notes, a gain map or Live Photo data. For tests that depend on those, use photos from your own device.

Test files

HEIC sample files

Name: heic.fyi HEIC and HEIF sample files
Creator: heic.fyi
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

29 free HEIC and HEIF files for testing viewers, converters and parsers. Each one checks a single thing, from orientation and colour profiles to tiled grids, depth maps and deliberately broken files. Public domain (CC0), no credit needed.

Download all 29 filesZIP, 9.9 MB Just one HEIC178.8 KB

The ZIP holds every file below plus SHA256SUMS, the licence and the generator scripts. Also available on their own: SHA256SUMS · manifest.json · LICENSE.txt

Files: 29
Total size: 9.8 MB
Licence: CC0 1.0
Checked: 11 October 2026

Every file was decoded and checked by a script before publishing, and opened in our own HEIC viewer. The properties listed under each file were read from the file itself, not copied from the encoder settings. Previews were rendered from the decoded pixels, so you can compare them with what your software shows.

Everyday HEIC files

Start here. One plain image, the tiled layout that phone cameras use for full-size photos, and a file with the metadata most people care about.

Basic HEIC, 8-bit sRGB

basic-8bit-srgb.heic

The simplest useful HEIC: one 1600 × 1200 HEVC image, 8-bit 4:2:0, tagged sRGB with an nclx colour box. If this does not open, nothing else on this page will.

Should look like

A dark test chart with colour bars, grey steps, smooth ramps, a zone plate, line pairs and skin-tone patches. The orange frame shows on all four edges and the yellow TOP arrow points up.

Signs of a problem

Colours clearly shifted against the preview here usually mean the YCbCr-to-RGB conversion is wrong, not that the file is damaged.

File size: 178.8 KB (183,061 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: 3fe7d32e5568f8bfd6b5d3290e61ac9b964d08464d388fa064f69cddddfee82c

How we checked this file

PSNR against the source render: 36.9 dB
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200.

Download178.8 KB Convert it with HEIC to JPG

Tiled 12 MP image (512 px grid)

grid-12mp-512px-tiles.heic

A 4032 × 3024 picture stored as an 8 × 6 grid of 512 × 512 HEVC tiles. The tiles cover 4096 × 3072, so the decoder must join them and then crop the right and bottom edges.

Should look like

Tile labels run in order from r1 c1 to r6 c8, the bars, ramps and zone plate continue across tile edges without seams, and the thin orange frame shows on all four edges.

Signs of a problem

Shuffled labels, visible seams, a missing frame on the right or bottom, or a 4096 × 3072 result mean the grid is assembled or cropped wrongly. A reader that does not understand grids may show a single tile or nothing.

File size: 783.6 KB (802,404 bytes)
Dimensions: 4032 × 3024
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Grid image: 8 × 6 tiles of 512 × 512 px (48 tile items)
SHA-256: ed14b6e639fc61ce19b933163579ea23f226aa2f0a78cb757753628bcee0e55e

How we checked this file

Orange frame present on all four edges after decoding (grid output crop is correct)
PSNR against the source render: 34.3 dB
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 4032 × 3024.

Download783.6 KB See the grid in the HEIC Inspector

Exif with GPS and capture date

exif-gps-date.heic

Metadata readers and privacy tools. The file has an Exif block (capture date with time-zone offset, camera make and model, GPS position and altitude) and an XMP packet.

Should look like

DateTimeOriginal 2026:01:01 12:00:00, offset +00:00; GPS 51.4778° N, 0.0015° W, 46 m; Make “heic.fyi”, Model “Sample generator”. The position is fake: it points at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

Signs of a problem

A longitude shown as east has lost the GPS reference letter. A GPS remover should drop the position and keep the capture date.

File size: 187.0 KB (191,464 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Exif metadata item
XMP metadata item
SHA-256: 01fd9fa28d09885d8482d01a5b36d88dc89fde3b7cfeaca50b70f8314d2c63d1

How we checked this file

Exif reads back: DateTimeOriginal 2026:01:01 12:00:00 +00:00, GPS 51.477800 N 0.001500 W, altitude 46 m; XMP present
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200.

Download187.0 KB Remove the GPS position

Orientation test set (1–8)

Eight files, one for each Exif orientation value. Each stores its pixels turned or mirrored and records how to undo that in two places: the HEIF transform properties (irot for rotation, imir for mirroring) and the Exif Orientation tag. HEIF readers should apply the transform properties and must not rotate a second time because of the Exif tag.

Should look like

Every file shows the yellow arrow pointing up, the letter F the right way round and text that reads normally. Apart from the number, all eight look the same, at 1200 × 800. Files 5 to 8 are stored as 800 × 1200, so a correct result also swaps width and height.

Signs of a problem

An arrow pointing sideways or down means a transform was ignored or applied twice. A backwards F means the mirror was ignored; files 2, 4, 5 and 7 need one.

1. Normal
orientation-1.heic
Stored 1200 × 800. Exif Orientation 1. No HEIF transform.
SHA-256
e0bfbe92834aefccf7292888b202de6e6821e96183c921b051f4d2e7ae70d332
Download55.4 KB
2. Mirrored left–right
orientation-2.heic
Stored 1200 × 800. Exif Orientation 2. HEIF: imir mode 1, left–right mirror.
SHA-256
3a316089f67cb43b6f92667b964c3ebff2542c72db1f1d0328f400fa5db48111
Download59.0 KB
3. Rotated 180°
orientation-3.heic
Stored 1200 × 800. Exif Orientation 3. HEIF: irot 180° anticlockwise.
SHA-256
09e326752dbc8bce85c9c65a03de22aec67c4490b1258cce1357385c9b4bdd7d
Download59.3 KB
4. Mirrored top–bottom
orientation-4.heic
Stored 1200 × 800. Exif Orientation 4. HEIF: imir mode 0, top–bottom mirror.
SHA-256
39b4d1de9d59db599c4b8728900d1d43fd4b66250ab21c71374425e1d94c875b
Download57.1 KB
5. Mirrored, then rotated 270° clockwise
orientation-5.heic
Stored 800 × 1200. Exif Orientation 5. HEIF: imir mode 1, left–right mirror, irot 270° anticlockwise.
SHA-256
51f891e23f8942ae765452043d5aff209e1e0c08a4a9ea46785789f53f6df8c0
Download64.7 KB
6. Rotated 90° clockwise
orientation-6.heic
Stored 800 × 1200. Exif Orientation 6. HEIF: irot 270° anticlockwise.
SHA-256
80b615ae433d7ec53e9aaaeee081ecd11c0d9931350da13d6ce4e2b363d12c12
Download62.8 KB
7. Mirrored, then rotated 90° clockwise
orientation-7.heic
Stored 800 × 1200. Exif Orientation 7. HEIF: imir mode 0, top–bottom mirror, irot 270° anticlockwise.
SHA-256
9a37bc72a54e6b2c39fd5a4e4e3d87d40eb636e91c03095bb1225c327eda1b50
Download65.4 KB
8. Rotated 270° clockwise
orientation-8.heic
Stored 800 × 1200. Exif Orientation 8. HEIF: irot 90° anticlockwise.
SHA-256
3bf743e5ce553ea01a8d6b2747e06abfeb05d19c6e492d62840a19f7c4afc634
Download63.5 KB

Every file was decoded with libheif and compared with the upright chart, and opened in the heic.fyi viewer, where the arrow points up in all eight. View Exif orientation tags

Colour, bit depth and chroma

Files that look fine in a careless viewer and wrong in a careful one, or the other way round. Compare each with its preview here, which was rendered from the decoded pixels.

Display P3, 10-bit

display-p3-10bit.heic

Colour management. A 10-bit image with a Display P3 ICC profile in a colr box, plus four patch pairs that sit outside sRGB: the left half is the most saturated colour sRGB can show, the right half the P3 primary.

Should look like

Greys and skin tones match the preview. On a P3 screen in a colour-managed viewer the right half of each pair is more saturated than the left; on an sRGB screen the two halves look the same.

Signs of a problem

If the whole chart looks duller than the preview, the viewer is ignoring the ICC profile and treating P3 values as sRGB.

File size: 161.8 KB (165,698 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Format Range Extensions (RExt) · 10-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heix (compatible: mif1, heix, miaf)
Colour: ICC profile “Display P3 (heic.fyi sample, CC0)” (600 bytes)
SHA-256: ad1a2e753f04071074c2c7cac8ac0b28d1c31b4dcc40ab3cb8894aad47b7e3a1

How we checked this file

ICC round trip: P3-encoded sRGB green, red and grey convert back to sRGB within 3/255
P3 red patch decodes to (0.998, 0.001, 0.000); sRGB red in P3 decodes to (0.917, 0.200, 0.139)
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200; converted to sRGB: both halves of the red pair draw as (255, 0, 0).

Download161.8 KB Check the profile with the File Checker

HDR: PQ, BT.2020, 10-bit

hdr-pq-10bit-bt2020.heic

HDR signalling. The colour box declares BT.2020 primaries with the PQ (SMPTE ST 2084) transfer, and the file carries content light level (clli) and mastering display (mdcv) boxes. Patches run from 0.1 to 1000 cd/m².

Should look like

On an HDR screen in an HDR-aware viewer the 400 to 1000 cd/m² patches and the highlight are much brighter than the white text, which sits at 203 cd/m². A viewer that tone-maps PQ to SDR shows compressed but still graded highlights, like the preview here.

Signs of a problem

A flat, washed-out, low-contrast chart means the PQ transfer is being ignored. Our own browser viewer does this: it draws to a standard canvas and does not tone-map PQ.

File size: 75.1 KB (76,897 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Format Range Extensions (RExt) · 10-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heix (compatible: mif1, heix, miaf)
Colour: nclx 9/16/9 full range (BT.2020, PQ (SMPTE ST 2084), BT.2020 NCL)
Features found in the file: Content light level (clli): MaxCLL 1000 cd/m², MaxFALL 136 cd/m²
Mastering display (mdcv): 1000 / 0.005 cd/m²
SHA-256: eb3a889d4833996f087951b4f680546ea51e8af71dedf2f078a71224408e6154

How we checked this file

Luminance patches decode to 0.101, 0.99, 10, 49.6, 99.7, 202, 399, 595, 793, 992 cd/m² (targets 0.1, 1, 10, 50, 100, 203, 400, 600, 800, 1000)
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200.

Download75.1 KB

10-bit 4:2:2 with a .hif name

camera-style-10bit-422.hif

The .hif extension, which some Canon and Fujifilm cameras use for HEIF, and a 10-bit 4:2:2 stream. That needs the HEVC Range Extensions profile, which decoders limited to the Main profiles cannot read.

Should look like

The standard chart, accepted despite the unfamiliar extension.

Signs of a problem

Rejected by extension before the contents are read, or a profile error from a hardware decoder.

File size: 162.5 KB (166,349 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Format Range Extensions (RExt) · 10-bit · 4:2:2
ftyp brands: heix (compatible: mif1, heix, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: 18c2c514e66294eacb44ad752c8bf26352c054b8b9f58b42bcf6585c08ee18de

How we checked this file

Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200; flags the extension as not matching the contents.

Download162.5 KB

Greyscale (4:0:0)

greyscale-monochrome.heic

An HEVC stream with no colour planes at all (4:0:0, Range Extensions profile). Some decoders only handle 4:2:0.

Should look like

A grey version of the standard chart; the colour bars become grey bars of different brightness.

Signs of a problem

A green or pink cast, or an error, suggests the decoder mishandles the missing colour planes.

File size: 175.5 KB (179,729 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Format Range Extensions (RExt) · 8-bit · 4:0:0
ftyp brands: heix (compatible: mif1, heix, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: 20e7d65bdf5335af4e4ba1091861fb60cf985723cfe019b74ba9504925ada67b

How we checked this file

Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200.

Download175.5 KB

Chroma 4:4:4 (pair with 4:2:0)

chroma-444.heic

One half of a matched pair: the same chart at the same quality setting as chroma-420.heic, but with full colour resolution. 4:4:4 needs the HEVC Range Extensions profile.

Should look like

At 100% zoom the small coloured text stays crisp, and the 1-pixel stripes and the red/blue checkerboard keep their colours.

Signs of a problem

If it looks like the 4:2:0 file, something converted it to 4:2:0 on the way. If only this one of the pair fails to open, the decoder lacks Range Extensions support.

File size: 158.2 KB (161,974 bytes)
Dimensions: 1280 × 960
Codec: HEVC Format Range Extensions (RExt) · 8-bit · 4:4:4
ftyp brands: heix (compatible: mif1, heix, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: bd38025c4aa97e4594d2910ce184f5c09b4a2173fbeb1b501e41f826844e60c3

How we checked this file

Mean absolute error in the 1-pixel stripe panels: 0.4 / 255
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1280 × 960.

Download158.2 KB

Chroma 4:2:0 (pair with 4:4:4)

chroma-420.heic

The other half of the pair: colour stored at half resolution in each direction, as in nearly all photos.

Should look like

The small coloured text has soft, bleeding edges and the 1-pixel stripes merge into a flat mixed colour. That is what 4:2:0 does; it is not a decoder fault.

File size: 120.1 KB (123,029 bytes)
Dimensions: 1280 × 960
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: ff0c0bf2bbfb58279d45e508bca7c5f95ff627647b219cd3fe07895c3bb476ff

How we checked this file

Mean absolute error in the 1-pixel stripe panels: 92.0 / 255
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1280 × 960.

Download120.1 KB

Container features

HEIF is a container that can hold more than one picture. These files check that a reader picks the right one and finds the rest.

Embedded thumbnail (with a twist)

thumbnail-embedded.heic

A 320 × 240 thumbnail linked to the main image with a thmb reference. We made the thumbnail deliberately different: it carries a red EMBEDDED THUMBNAIL banner that the main image does not have.

Should look like

Viewers show the full 1600 × 1200 chart with no banner. Thumbnail extractors return the 320 × 240 image with the banner.

Signs of a problem

If you see the banner in a full-size view, the app is showing the thumbnail instead of decoding the main image.

File size: 205.8 KB (210,737 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Embedded thumbnail: 320 × 240 px (thmb reference)
SHA-256: f38af8720a2991f476bbd3af4e84ff0eefa0b4f676d177063e80f3729a4fac08

How we checked this file

Thumbnail decodes at 320 × 240 and shows the red EMBEDDED THUMBNAIL banner; the main image does not
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200; shows the full 1600 × 1200 image, not the thumbnail.

Download205.8 KB Extract the thumbnail

Four images, primary is the third

multi-image-burst.heic

Four top-level images in one file, burst-style. The primary item (pitm) is image 3, not the first one stored.

Should look like

A viewer shows the large 3 with the yellow PRIMARY IMAGE label. Tools that list images find four.

Signs of a problem

Showing 1 means the reader took the first image instead of the primary item.

File size: 169.8 KB (173,838 bytes)
Dimensions: 1280 × 960
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: 4 top-level images; primary item (pitm) is image 3 of 4
SHA-256: a3f76e9b8552b1deca83b7196bfa637e2742894b7ff2a17deddcef24f010d813

How we checked this file

Four images decode; libheif reports image 3 as primary and it carries the PRIMARY IMAGE banner
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1280 × 960; shows image 3, the primary item.

Download169.8 KB List the items in the HEIC Inspector

Image sequence (.heics)

image-sequence.heics

An HEVC image sequence: a 24-frame, 2-second track (handler pict, 12 frames per second) plus a still cover image, with the msf1 major brand.

Should look like

Still-image viewers show the COVER frame. Sequence-aware players find 24 frames numbered 01 to 24, with a clock hand that goes round once.

Signs of a problem

An error instead of the cover image suggests the reader rejects files whose major brand is not heic.

File size: 68.9 KB (70,512 bytes)
Dimensions: 640 × 480
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: msf1 (compatible: msf1, iso8, mif1, heic, hevc, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Image sequence track: handler 'pict', 24 frames, 2 s, HEVC 4:2:0 8-bit, 640 × 480
SHA-256: 2473a42f107257b59afd961e7281f5ea65004219691aaf922d414f168a99a53a

How we checked this file

Still cover image decodes with libheif
FFmpeg 6.1.1-3ubuntu5 decodes all 24 frames of the track, in order
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 640 × 480; flags the extension as not matching the contents.

Download68.9 KB

Transparency (alpha)

alpha-transparency.heic

Transparency stored as an auxiliary alpha image linked to the colour image.

Should look like

The corners and the area around the card are transparent, the orange bar fades from solid to clear, and the green circle is half transparent.

Signs of a problem

A solid blue background means the alpha was dropped. Converting to JPG always flattens it, because JPG has no transparency.

File size: 85.7 KB (87,769 bytes)
Dimensions: 1200 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Auxiliary alpha image (urn:mpeg:hevc:2015:auxid:1), 4:0:0 8-bit
SHA-256: 5a2a4552c6aaa8787b396f5ba4c2a4fa762fb23cd320fbada007cd04ec4f007d

How we checked this file

Alpha decodes: corner 0, card 255, ramp midpoint 127, circle 128 (0–255)
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1200 × 1200; keeps transparency.

Download85.7 KB Keep transparency with HEIC to PNG

Depth map (auxiliary image)

depth-map.heic

A depth map stored as an auxiliary image of the standard HEVC depth type (urn:mpeg:hevc:2015:auxid:2), linked to the colour image. It has no depth-range metadata, so its values are relative.

Should look like

Viewers show only the colour image. Tools that read auxiliary images find a 1200 × 900 depth map: bright sphere (near), mid-grey circle, darker square (far) and a near-black background.

Signs of a problem

Seeing the greyscale map as the photo means the reader picked the wrong item.

File size: 72.2 KB (73,923 bytes)
Dimensions: 1200 × 900
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Auxiliary depth image (urn:mpeg:hevc:2015:auxid:2), 4:0:0 8-bit
SHA-256: e7a8fd35b95ca10f29b6a88af7c1d1d6a3fa859fb97bdf6fb253ee16e6717e7b

How we checked this file

libheif exposes one depth image; values near 255, middle 153, far 76, background 20
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1200 × 900.

Download72.2 KB Find it in the HEIC Inspector

Generic HEIF (mif1 brand, .heif)

generic-mif1-brand.heif

A .heif file whose ftyp major brand is the generic mif1, with heic still listed as compatible. Tools that check only the major brand will wrongly reject it.

Should look like

Opens exactly like the basic file.

File size: 179.4 KB (183,754 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: mif1 (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: 1c3cb942025bce0d3d45c7d98ecb94846c9da760700d5c025d3e80852027dede

How we checked this file

Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200.

Download179.4 KB

AV1 in the same container (AVIF)

av1-image.avif

The same chart coded with AV1 instead of HEVC (ftyp avif). AVIF uses the HEIF container too, so this checks that a tool tells the two codecs apart. It was encoded at a lower quality setting than the HEIC files, so do not use it to compare compression.

Should look like

Browsers with AVIF support show it directly. A HEIC-only decoder should report an unsupported codec rather than crash.

File size: 50.1 KB (51,318 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: AV1 Main · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: avif (compatible: mif1, avif, miaf)
Colour: none (decoder default)
SHA-256: 486bea7cb76e7138fdfb38817b3c5c40b0b449b20dc6cdefd3a142917e365cd9

How we checked this file

Decodes with libavif (Pillow); pillow-heif here has no AV1 decoder, which is itself a useful reminder that AVIF needs a different codec
Decoded with libavif via Pillow 12.3.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200.

Download50.1 KB

Performance

One large file for decode time and memory. Everything else here is small enough to open instantly.

48 MP image (16 × 12 grid)

large-48mp-grid.heic

8064 × 6048 pixels (48.8 MP) in 192 tiles of 512 px. Decoded RGB alone is about 146 MB; with an alpha channel for a canvas, about 195 MB. The background carries fine procedural noise so the file is not unrealistically small for its size.

Should look like

The full chart with tile labels in order from r1 c1 to r12 c16 and the orange frame on all four edges.

Signs of a problem

Out-of-memory errors, a blank canvas, or a silently reduced image. Browsers limit canvas size, so web tools may need to scale down; they should say when they do.

File size: 5.9 MB (6,172,972 bytes)
Dimensions: 8064 × 6048
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
Features found in the file: Grid image: 16 × 12 tiles of 512 × 512 px (192 tile items)
SHA-256: bf62ab0056e848f7a9fbec4254299d6be1da92a95569a781d3fa0e9e1875ab30

How we checked this file

Orange frame present on all four edges after decoding (grid output crop is correct)
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 8064 × 6048.

Download5.9 MB

Broken and mislabelled files

For error handling. A good tool explains what is wrong instead of crashing, hanging or showing a blank image.

No preview: this file is meant not to decode.

Truncated file

broken-truncated.heic

The first 60% of basic-8bit-srgb.heic. The header and item table are intact, but the coded image data stops early, as after an interrupted download.

Should look like

A clear message that the file is incomplete or damaged.

Signs of a problem

A crash, a hang, or a partial image with no warning.

File size: 107.3 KB (109,836 bytes)
ftyp brands: heic
SHA-256: 7c95d6452f3dadf6da09a5dce3e05f81d26b6043fee00026fbd67a5158d555e0

How we checked this file

libheif refuses it: “Invalid input: Unexpected end of file: Extent in iloc box references data outside of file bounds (points to file position 380)”
Box parser: box 'mdat' at offset 372 claims 182689 bytes but only 109464 remain
First 109,836 of 183,061 bytes of basic-8bit-srgb.heic (60%)
In the heic.fyi viewer: shows the error “We could not read this HEIC container”.

Download107.3 KB Diagnose it with the health check

No preview: this file is meant not to decode.

Damaged ftyp box

broken-ftyp.heic

A copy of the basic file with the brand fields of its ftyp box overwritten with zeros, so nothing in the file says it is HEIF.

Should look like

Rejected as not a HEIC or HEIF file.

Signs of a problem

A crash, or a generic error that gives no hint about the cause.

File size: 178.8 KB (183,061 bytes)
ftyp brands: 00 00 00 00 (compatible: 00 00 00 00, 00 00 00 00, 00 00 00 00)
SHA-256: 142c0331e97c23ea0e094e9cac529dcba098968ab447a690179d0664790909a9

How we checked this file

libheif refuses it: “Unsupported file-type: Unspecified: File does not include any supported brands.”
In the heic.fyi viewer: shows the error “This file is not a HEIC/HEIF image”.

Download178.8 KB

JPEG named .heic

jpeg-with-heic-extension.heic

A baseline JPEG with a .heic name, as left behind by renaming. Its first bytes are the JPEG marker FF D8 FF.

Should look like

The tool detects JPEG from the contents and either opens it as a JPEG or says what it really is.

Signs of a problem

A HEIC decoding error with no hint that the file is a JPEG.

File size: 232.6 KB (238,147 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: Baseline JPEG · 8-bit · 4:2:0
SHA-256: cf9375ad0c0724d26f2aa3b0b8bf50856f344d20fb8db65efb0819967f304229

How we checked this file

Starts with the JPEG marker FF D8 FF; Pillow opens it as JPEG; libheif refuses it: “Invalid input: No 'ftyp' box: File does not start with 'ftyp' box.”
In the heic.fyi viewer: shows the error “Unsupported file format”.

Download232.6 KB

HEIC named .jpg

heic-with-jpg-extension.jpg

A valid HEIC with a .jpg name.

Should look like

Opens in tools that read the contents rather than trust the extension. Ideally the tool also points out the mismatch.

Signs of a problem

Rejected as a broken JPEG.

File size: 182.9 KB (187,263 bytes)
Dimensions: 1600 × 1200
Codec: HEVC Main Still Picture · 8-bit · 4:2:0
ftyp brands: heic (compatible: mif1, heic, miaf)
Colour: nclx 1/13/6 full range (BT.709/sRGB, sRGB, BT.601)
SHA-256: 4d9de558632740b6ba93b5d8624f0c4cf08a541276b310bbb4c28c67d9a49443

How we checked this file

A valid HEIC (ftyp heic); decodes with libheif despite the .jpg name
Decoded with libheif 1.23.4 via pillow-heif 1.8.0.
In the heic.fyi viewer: opens at 1600 × 1200; flags the extension as not matching the contents.

Download182.9 KB

How these files were made

Each image is a test chart drawn by a Python script: colour bars, grey steps, smooth ramps, a zone plate, line pairs, skin-tone patches and labels naming the file and its properties. The script then encodes it with libheif and the x265 HEVC encoder. No photographs or third-party images are used. The Display P3 ICC profile in display-p3-10bit.heic was also written by the script, from the published P3 primaries and white point.

libheif wrote most files as they are. A few needed small changes at box level afterwards, made with a short parser that rebuilds the item offsets:

generic-mif1-brand.heif: major brand changed from heic to mif1.
thumbnail-embedded.heic: the thumbnail libheif generated was replaced with a separately encoded one that carries the banner.
depth-map.heic: libheif wrote the depth map as an alpha image; its type was then changed from auxid:1 (alpha) to auxid:2 (depth).
image-sequence.heics: FFmpeg encoded the track with libx265; it was moved into a HEIF file beside a libheif-encoded cover image, its handler set to pict and a coding-constraints (ccst) box added.
The broken files: cut short, or with the ftyp brands zeroed, from a copy of the basic file.

A second script then checks every file: it decodes each one with libheif (Pillow with libavif for the AVIF and JPEG files), reads the boxes, compares the pixels with the source charts where that makes sense, confirms that the broken files are refused, and stops if anything fails. The sequence track is checked with FFmpeg, because the pillow-heif release we used does not expose libheif's sequence functions. The viewer check ran in Chromium 141.0.7390.37 (Playwright, headless) on 11 October 2026.

Tool versions used to make and check the files
Tool	Version	Used for
libheif	1.23.4	HEIF writing and the reference decode
x265	4.2+1-e444744	HEVC encoding, through libheif
libde265	1.1.3	HEVC decoding in the checks
pillow-heif	1.8.0	Python bindings for libheif
Pillow	12.3.0	Text, previews, JPEG, AVIF decoding, ICC checks
NumPy	2.5.3	Drawing the charts
Python	3.13.16	Generator and verifier
FFmpeg	6.1.1-3ubuntu5	Sequence track (libx265) and its decode check
sharp	0.35.4 (libheif 1.23.2, aom 3.15.0)	The AVIF file
Fonts	Inter 4.0 (SIL OFL) and DejaVu Sans Mono 2.37	Labels drawn into the charts

The scripts are in the source folder of the ZIP. To rebuild and re-check the set:

python3 generate.py   # renders the charts and writes the files
python3 verify.py     # decodes, checks, writes previews, SHA256SUMS and the ZIP

Encoder builds differ, so a rebuild may not be byte-identical. The SHA-256 values on this page belong to the published files. manifest.json has every measured property in machine-readable form.

Not in this set

Photographs. Everything here is a rendered chart.
iPhone-specific data: gain-map HDR, Live Photo links, Apple maker notes and portrait mattes.
HEIF files using codecs other than HEVC and AV1, such as VVC or JPEG 2000.
12-bit and 16-bit images, and animated AVIF.

Licence: CC0, no attribution required

We have waived all copyright and related rights in these files under CC0 1.0 Universal (opens in a new tab). Use them for anything, including commercial products, bug reports, test suites and documentation. You do not need to credit heic.fyi, though a link to this page is always welcome.

The GPS position in exif-gps-date.heic is fake and points at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. No file contains personal data.

Frequently asked questions

Tools to try them with

HEIC ViewerOpen any of these files in your browser and see what a user would see.HEIC InspectorBrands, codec profile, grid layout, auxiliary images and the item table.HEIC File CheckerA one-line answer: real format, size, bit depth and colour space.HEIC to JPGConvert a sample and check orientation and colour survive.Extract HEIC thumbnailPull out the embedded thumbnail, banner and all.Remove HEIC GPSStrip the fake location from the Exif sample and keep the date.

Files generated and checked on 11 October 2026. Found a file that does not behave as described? Tell us.