Mac and iPhone owners have a wide range of file formats they can use to store their data.
From spreadsheets to images, each one is unique and offers its own advantages.
To ensure you make the most of your device, here are some examples of formats that are worth knowing about, particularly if you are still relatively inexperienced as a Mac or iPhone user.
#1 – JPEG
First up is the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format. This is a lossy compression format that’s used for digital photography and image editing software.
It’s great for sharing photos online, but with its quality loss, it’s not suitable for printing professional images.
#2 – TIFF
The TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) format is also popular amongst image editors. It’s lossless, so no data gets lost when saving an image as a TIFF file.
However, it requires more storage space than JPEG files do and is less widely supported than other formats.
#3 – PNG
For vector graphics, PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is an excellent choice due to its high-quality resolution and lossless compression features.
The file format is a great choice for logos or graphic design projects that require transparency too.
#4 – PDFS
If you need to create complex documents on your MacBook or iPhone, then the PDF (Portable Document Format) could be just what you require.
PDF files are compatible with almost any device, which makes it easy to send documents back and forth without having to worry about compatibility issues.
The universal usage and compatibility are why you see PDFs so often. In some cases, you might also have to convert a file to make it work on another device as a PDF. For example, learning how to convert HEIC to PDF on Mac computers or how to convert Word docs to PDFs is quite simple yet valuable.
One final thing to mention is that PDFs are secure and perfect for archiving digital documents in the long term.
#5 – Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are another common type of file format used by Apple device aficionados these days.
The three main spreadsheet formats include XLSX (Microsoft Excel), CSV (Comma Separated Values), and ODS (OpenDocument Spreadsheet).
Each one has its pros and cons, depending on what you want to do with your data, so make sure you pick the right one.
#6 – Audio Files
When it comes to audio files, MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) reigns supreme. MP3 files provide high-quality audio in a small size, making them ideal for streaming music online or storing music collections on your devices.
#7 – Video Files
MOV is the default video type used by Apple devices like iPhones or MacBooks.
This format supports both audio and video tracks while offering excellent quality at relatively small file sizes – perfect for keeping videos taken with your device or streaming them online.
#8 – RAW
If you want something a bit more advanced, then RAW can be the file type you have been looking for.
RAW images are uncompressed versions of standard JPEG files that offer higher levels of detail than regular JPEGs – making them perfect for professional photographers who want maximum control over their images.
#9 – Text Files
For simple text documents, there’s nothing better than TXT (Plain Text File ).
TXT files don’t support formatting such as bold text or italics, but they take up less space than other document formats like Microsoft Word DOCX, which makes them perfect if you just need something quick and easy without all the bells & whistles.
#10 – HTML
Finally, we have HTML (Hypertext Markup Language ), which is used to create websites on the internet. HTML code consists of various tags that tell web browsers how to display content on webpages – making it essential knowledge if you ever want to build a website from scratch.
Closing Thoughts
Knowing these thirteen different file formats will ensure Mac & iPhone users can maximize what they get from their devices when collecting important data for safekeeping or sharing stuff online.
With everything from lossless compression codecs like TIFF & PNG to text documents like TXT & HTML covered here – no matter what kind of digital project you’re doing, there’s sure to be something here that fits your needs.