Compare Bitmap Image and High Efficiency Image formats — understand the key differences and when to use each
Bitmap Image
BMP (Bitmap Image File) is an uncompressed raster image format developed by Microsoft. BMP stores pixel data directly without compression, resulting in very large file sizes but perfect image quality with zero artifacts. The format supports 1-bit (monochrome), 4-bit (16 colors), 8-bit (256 colors), 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit color depths. BMP is primarily used in Windows environments and was historically the default format for Windows Paint. While BMP offers the highest quality preservation, its lack of compression makes it impractical for web use or email. Converting BMP to PNG provides identical visual quality with dramatically smaller file sizes. BMP does not support transparency, animation, or metadata. It remains useful for certain technical applications and as an intermediate format in image processing pipelines.
High Efficiency Image
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) uses the HEVC (H.265) video codec for image compression, providing approximately 50% better compression than JPEG at equivalent quality. Apple adopted HEIC as the default photo format for iOS 11+ and macOS High Sierra+ devices. A single HEIC file can contain multiple images (like burst photos or Live Photos), depth maps, alpha channels, and HDR content. HEIC supports 16-bit color depth and wide color gamut (P3), resulting in more vibrant and detailed photos than JPEG. However, HEIC has limited compatibility outside the Apple ecosystem — many Windows applications, web browsers, and social media platforms require JPEG or PNG. Converting HEIC to JPG or PNG ensures universal compatibility while preserving image quality.
| Feature | BMP | HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Bitmap Image | High Efficiency Image |
| File Extension | .bmp | .heic |
| Category | image | image |
| Free to Convert | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Browser Support | ✓ All Browsers | ✓ All Browsers |
| Convert to Each Other | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
或将文件拖放到此处
最大文件大小：2GB