diff --git a/lib/constructor.js b/lib/constructor.js
index 05b4c2db3..f6741509b 100644
--- a/lib/constructor.js
+++ b/lib/constructor.js
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ const Sharp = function (input, options) {
     heifCompression: 'av1',
     heifEffort: 4,
     heifChromaSubsampling: '4:4:4',
+    heifBitdepth: 8,
     jxlDistance: 1,
     jxlDecodingTier: 0,
     jxlEffort: 7,
diff --git a/lib/index.d.ts b/lib/index.d.ts
index f73a7594b..c31ccdfc1 100644
--- a/lib/index.d.ts
+++ b/lib/index.d.ts
@@ -1244,6 +1244,8 @@ declare namespace sharp {
         effort?: number | undefined;
         /** set to '4:2:0' to use chroma subsampling, requires libvips v8.11.0 (optional, default '4:4:4') */
         chromaSubsampling?: string | undefined;
+        /** Set bitdepth to 8, 10 or 12 bit (optional, default 8) */
+        bitdepth?: 8 | 10 | 12 | undefined;
     }
 
     interface HeifOptions extends OutputOptions {
@@ -1257,6 +1259,8 @@ declare namespace sharp {
         effort?: number | undefined;
         /** set to '4:2:0' to use chroma subsampling (optional, default '4:4:4') */
         chromaSubsampling?: string | undefined;
+        /** Set bitdepth to 8, 10 or 12 bit (optional, default 8) */
+        bitdepth?: 8 | 10 | 12 | undefined;
     }
 
     interface GifOptions extends OutputOptions, AnimationOptions {
diff --git a/lib/output.js b/lib/output.js
index d192b7aff..c03d6506a 100644
--- a/lib/output.js
+++ b/lib/output.js
@@ -1029,6 +1029,7 @@ function tiff (options) {
  * @param {boolean} [options.lossless=false] - use lossless compression
  * @param {number} [options.effort=4] - CPU effort, between 0 (fastest) and 9 (slowest)
  * @param {string} [options.chromaSubsampling='4:4:4'] - set to '4:2:0' to use chroma subsampling
+ * @param {number} [options.bitdepth=8] - set bitdepth to 8, 10 or 12 bit
  * @returns {Sharp}
  * @throws {Error} Invalid options
  */
@@ -1055,6 +1056,7 @@ function avif (options) {
  * @param {boolean} [options.lossless=false] - use lossless compression
  * @param {number} [options.effort=4] - CPU effort, between 0 (fastest) and 9 (slowest)
  * @param {string} [options.chromaSubsampling='4:4:4'] - set to '4:2:0' to use chroma subsampling
+ * @param {number} [options.bitdepth=8] - set bitdepth to 8, 10 or 12 bit
  * @returns {Sharp}
  * @throws {Error} Invalid options
  */
@@ -1093,6 +1095,13 @@ function heif (options) {
         throw is.invalidParameterError('chromaSubsampling', 'one of: 4:2:0, 4:4:4', options.chromaSubsampling);
       }
     }
+    if (is.defined(options.bitdepth)) {
+      if (is.integer(options.bitdepth) && is.inArray(options.bitdepth, [8, 10, 12])) {
+        this.options.heifBitdepth = options.bitdepth;
+      } else {
+        throw is.invalidParameterError('bitdepth', '8, 10 or 12', options.bitdepth);
+      }
+    }
   } else {
     throw is.invalidParameterError('options', 'Object', options);
   }
diff --git a/src/pipeline.cc b/src/pipeline.cc
index ce5ce7ba9..a9c68f123 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.cc
+++ b/src/pipeline.cc
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@ class PipelineWorker : public Napi::AsyncWorker {
             ->set("Q", baton->heifQuality)
             ->set("compression", baton->heifCompression)
             ->set("effort", baton->heifEffort)
-            ->set("bitdepth", 8)
+            ->set("bitdepth", baton->heifBitdepth)
             ->set("subsample_mode", baton->heifChromaSubsampling == "4:4:4"
               ? VIPS_FOREIGN_SUBSAMPLE_OFF : VIPS_FOREIGN_SUBSAMPLE_ON)
             ->set("lossless", baton->heifLossless)));
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ class PipelineWorker : public Napi::AsyncWorker {
             ->set("Q", baton->heifQuality)
             ->set("compression", baton->heifCompression)
             ->set("effort", baton->heifEffort)
-            ->set("bitdepth", 8)
+            ->set("bitdepth", baton->heifBitdepth)
             ->set("subsample_mode", baton->heifChromaSubsampling == "4:4:4"
               ? VIPS_FOREIGN_SUBSAMPLE_OFF : VIPS_FOREIGN_SUBSAMPLE_ON)
             ->set("lossless", baton->heifLossless));
@@ -1696,6 +1696,7 @@ Napi::Value pipeline(const Napi::CallbackInfo& info) {
     options, "heifCompression", VIPS_TYPE_FOREIGN_HEIF_COMPRESSION);
   baton->heifEffort = sharp::AttrAsUint32(options, "heifEffort");
   baton->heifChromaSubsampling = sharp::AttrAsStr(options, "heifChromaSubsampling");
+  baton->heifBitdepth = sharp::AttrAsUint32(options, "heifBitdepth");
   baton->jxlDistance = sharp::AttrAsDouble(options, "jxlDistance");
   baton->jxlDecodingTier = sharp::AttrAsUint32(options, "jxlDecodingTier");
   baton->jxlEffort = sharp::AttrAsUint32(options, "jxlEffort");
diff --git a/src/pipeline.h b/src/pipeline.h
index 3d92dbacf..6ebf0e63f 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.h
+++ b/src/pipeline.h
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ struct PipelineBaton {
   int heifEffort;
   std::string heifChromaSubsampling;
   bool heifLossless;
+  int heifBitdepth;
   double jxlDistance;
   int jxlDecodingTier;
   int jxlEffort;
@@ -349,6 +350,7 @@ struct PipelineBaton {
     heifEffort(4),
     heifChromaSubsampling("4:4:4"),
     heifLossless(false),
+    heifBitdepth(8),
     jxlDistance(1.0),
     jxlDecodingTier(0),
     jxlEffort(7),
diff --git a/test/unit/avif.js b/test/unit/avif.js
index ca9a2bc23..3075d365d 100644
--- a/test/unit/avif.js
+++ b/test/unit/avif.js
@@ -144,4 +144,10 @@ describe('AVIF', () => {
       /Processed image is too large for the HEIF format/
     )
   );
+
+  it('Invalid bitdepth value throws error', async () => {
+    assert.rejects(
+      () => sharp().avif({ bitdepth: 11 }),
+      /Error: Expected 8, 10 or 12 for bitdepth but received 11 of type number/);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/unit/heif.js b/test/unit/heif.js
index 338bda693..ccd6a3992 100644
--- a/test/unit/heif.js
+++ b/test/unit/heif.js
@@ -78,4 +78,14 @@ describe('HEIF', () => {
       sharp().heif({ compression: 'av1', chromaSubsampling: '4:4:4' });
     });
   });
+  it('valid bitdepth value does not throw an error', () => {
+    assert.doesNotThrow(() => {
+      sharp().heif({ compression: 'av1', bitdepth: 12 });
+    });
+  });
+  it('invalid bitdepth value should throw an error', () => {
+    assert.throws(() => {
+      sharp().heif({ compression: 'av1', bitdepth: 11 });
+    }, /Error: Expected 8, 10 or 12 for bitdepth but received 11 of type number/);
+  });
 });