Why did my iPhone save photos as HEIC?

Apple switched the default to HEIC in iOS 11 because it stores photos at roughly half the JPEG size — significant storage savings on 64-256 GB devices. The trade-off is compatibility: everything newer than 2017 handles it, but Windows, older Androids, and many web services don't. You can switch future captures to JPEG in Settings → Camera → Formats → 'Most Compatible', or keep HEIC for storage savings and convert when needed.

Does converting HEIC to PNG lose quality?

No. HEIC decoding is lossless relative to what's stored in the file, and PNG re-encoding is lossless. The output preserves your photo exactly as the iPhone captured it. This is actually the highest-fidelity conversion path available — converting HEIC to JPG would add JPEG artifacts on top.

HEIC to PNG or HEIC to JPG — which should I choose?

PNG when you need lossless quality, future editing, or the file will be re-uploaded and re-saved by other tools. JPG when file size matters — email attachments, upload forms with size caps — since a 3 MB HEIC photo becomes a 1-2 MB JPG instead of a 6-10 MB PNG. Both open everywhere; pick based on whether quality or size is the priority.

Are my photos uploaded to a server?

No. The HEIC decoding runs in your browser via WebAssembly and the PNG encoding via Canvas — all on your device. Nothing is transmitted anywhere. You can verify in your browser's dev tools network tab: zero upload requests after the page loads.

Can I convert HEIC on Android or Windows?

Yes — that's the main use case. This converter runs in any modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. No iPhone, iTunes, or Apple ecosystem required.

Why is my PNG file so much larger than the HEIC?

HEIC is one of the most efficient compression formats available — roughly half of JPEG's size at similar quality. PNG is lossless and stores complete pixel data. A 1.5 MB HEIC photo can expand to a 6-10 MB PNG. That's the cost of lossless universality. For everyday sharing, HEIC to JPG gives a much smaller file.

Can iPhone take PNG photos directly?

Not as a camera format — iOS captures HEIC (or JPEG if you switch to 'Most Compatible'). But screenshots on iPhone are PNG natively. For camera photos, converting HEIC to PNG after capture is the standard workflow.

HEIC → PNG

Convert HEIC to PNG

Turn iPhone HEIC photos into universal, lossless PNGs. Decoded right in your browser — no app, no upload, free and unlimited.

No upload No watermark Free, no sign-up

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Recommended settings

Recommended export settings

Output format: PNG (lossless)

Dimensions: unchanged from source

HEIC decode: WebAssembly (heic2any), on-device

Best for: compatibility, editing masters, archives

For smaller files: use HEIC to JPG instead

What is this

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the default photo format on iPhone since iOS 11 — it stores photos at roughly half the size of JPEG, which is why Apple chose it. The catch is compatibility: Windows Photo Viewer, older Android devices, many web forms, and most design tools either can't open HEIC or need codec packs. Converting HEIC to PNG produces a lossless, universally-supported file that opens everywhere and survives future editing without quality loss. This converter decodes HEIC directly in your browser using the heic2any library (loaded on demand, ~1.5 MB, cached after first use), then re-encodes to PNG via Canvas — your photos never leave the device. That local processing matters for HEIC more than most formats: iPhone libraries are exactly the personal, irreplaceable content you don't want bulk-uploaded to a random converter site. If you need smaller files instead of lossless quality, convert to JPG; if you need web-optimized modern files, convert to WebP.

1PNG opens everywhere — Windows 10/11 without codecs, older Androids, web upload forms, and every design tool. HEIC does not.
2Lossless output preserves your iPhone photo exactly as captured — no second generation of compression artifacts.
3Everything is processed on-device via WebAssembly-powered HEIC decoding. Personal photos never touch a server.
4No app install, no iTunes sync, no cloud round-trip. The converter works on any device with a browser — including the iPhone itself.
5Free and unlimited — batch-convert a weekend's worth of photos without hitting a paywall or watermark.
6HEIC's 10-bit color is decoded and mapped cleanly to PNG's 24-bit RGB, avoiding the banding cheap converters introduce.

How it works

Three steps, no account needed

From raw image to shareable file in seconds — all in your browser.

Upload your image

Drag-and-drop or click to browse. Files are processed locally — nothing is uploaded to any server.

Pick quality

The recommended preset is pre-selected. Fine-tune JPEG/WebP quality in advanced settings if needed.

Download

Conversion runs entirely in your browser. Grab your new-format file in seconds — no account, no watermark.

Features

Why people choose this compressor

100% Browser-Based

Your image never leaves your device. No upload, no server-side processing, no privacy concerns.

No Watermark

Output is clean — no logos, no overlays, no branding baked in. You own the file.

Free & Unlimited

No sign-up, no credit card, no daily cap. Convert as many images as you need.

Canvas-Powered Engine

Uses the browser's native Canvas API for fast, hardware-accelerated format conversion.

Original Quality Preserved

Dimensions stay untouched and JPEG output defaults to quality 90 — no visible loss.

Cross-Platform

Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android — any modern browser.

Use cases

Who uses this tool

Windows Without Codecs

Windows Photo Viewer shows HEIC as unsupported unless you buy the HEIF extension. Convert to PNG and every Windows app opens it.

Web Forms & Uploads

Passport applications, visa portals, and school systems reject HEIC uploads. PNG is on every accepted-formats list.

Design & Editing

Import iPhone photos into Photoshop, Figma, or Canva as PNG masters. Layer work and repeated exports stay lossless.

Cross-Platform Sharing

Send photos to Android family members or print shops without the 'I can't open this' reply chain.

Documentation & Records

ID documents, receipts, and medical photos shot on iPhone become universally-readable archive files.

Marketplace Listings

eBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace sellers convert iPhone product shots to PNG/JPG before uploading — some platforms reject HEIC outright.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Upload your .heic file above. The browser decodes it via the heic2any library (downloads ~1.5 MB on first use, then cached) and re-encodes to lossless PNG. Click download. Typical conversion takes 2-5 seconds depending on photo size.