HEIC Converter
HEIC is an Apple-first format the rest of the web doesn't love
HEIC is HEVC-encoded image data inside a HEIF container. It hits roughly 50% smaller than JPG at similar quality, carries 10-bit color, and holds iPhone extras like Live Photo motion and depth maps. iOS has captured it by default since iOS 11.
- Share / upload
- JPG ~85
- Edit next
- PNG
- Live Photo
- Keep HEIC
Everywhere outside Apple the support story gets patchy fast. Windows needs paid HEVC codec extensions, older Photoshop and Lightroom builds choke, most CMS uploaders and form fields reject the file type, and plenty of email clients strip it before delivery.
How to pick the output format from this tool
- JPEG: default for humans, forms, printers that want JPG, and anywhere "just make it open" is the goal.
- PNG: lossless raster of the decoded frame — use before compositing, color work, or multi-step edits.
- WebP / AVIF: modern web delivery when you control the browser target and can accept a compatibility matrix.
The quality slider applies to lossy outputs (JPEG, WebP, AVIF, lossy TIFF). For PNG it only adjusts DEFLATE compression — same pixels, different bytes on disk.
JPG for sharing, PNG for editing pipelines
If the file is headed to a non-Apple recipient, a CMS upload, email, Slack or Teams, or a print shop, export to JPG. Quality 85 is the default because HEIC is already compressed — a reasonable JPG pass stays close to visually lossless without the format becoming a support problem.
If the image is going into further editing, pick PNG to avoid stacking a second lossy pass on top of the HEIC one. Expect 10-20x file-size growth versus the HEIC — worth it only when the next step is another compression. Either way, Live Photo motion, depth, and any non-primary frames won't survive the export; keep the HEIC alongside if those matter.
HEIC converter questions, answered
What is a HEIC file?
HEIC is HEVC-compressed image data inside an Apple-preferred HEIF container. iPhones save HEIC by default because it is smaller than JPG at similar quality and can hold extras like Live Photo motion.
Should I convert HEIC to JPG or PNG?
Pick JPG for sharing, email, CMS uploads, and maximum compatibility. Pick PNG when you need a lossless intermediate for editing and can afford 10-20× larger files.
What quality should I use when converting HEIC to JPG?
Quality 85 is the practical default — HEIC is already compressed, so the JPG pass rarely shows damage at normal zoom. Use 90+ before more edits; drop toward 80 only for tight attachment limits.
Does converting HEIC remove Live Photo or depth?
Raster exports keep one frame. Motion, depth maps, and auxiliary HEIF payloads are not preserved in JPG or PNG. Keep the original HEIC if you need those features later.
Why do HEIC files fail to upload on some websites?
Many servers whitelist JPG, PNG, and GIF only, or lack HEVC decode on the processing path. Converting to JPG or PNG matches what those pipelines expect.