HEIC is the high-efficiency format iPhone photos use by default. Browsers can't display it directly, so converting is needed to use or share it on the web.
PNG is a versatile lossless format with transparency support. When you convert HEIC to PNG, you can open it in more places and the file grows. See the comparison below for what changes.
This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is HEIC, then converts it to PNG right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
HEIC vs PNG: what's the difference?
| Item | HEIC | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless |
| Transparent background | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Introduced | 2015 | 1996 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | limited | nearly everywhere |
| Shown directly in browsers | No | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | about 0.5× | about 3× |
What is HEIC?
HEIC is HEVC (H.265) compression packaged in the HEIF container, and Apple adopted it as the default camera format from iOS 11. At the same quality it takes up about half the space of JPG.
What is PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless format created in 1996 to avoid the patent problems around GIF. Because not a single pixel changes when you save and reopen it, it suits original artwork that goes through many edits.
What changes when you convert HEIC to PNG
Quality doesn't improve, but it doesn't get worse either
Information lost when HEIC was saved can't be recovered. PNG is lossless, so it keeps the image exactly as it is now and later edits and saves add no further degradation. File size will grow, though.
Live Photo video and depth data are dropped
Besides the main photo, a HEIC can contain extras such as a short video and a depth map. The result contains only the main photo.
PNG has no quality setting
PNG is lossless, so the quality slider doesn't apply. Instead, when converting from HEIC you can manage file size by resizing (exact width and height, or a percentage).
How the file size changes
For the same photo, PNG is much larger than HEIC (roughly 6× or so). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
PNG opens in more places
Support for HEIC in programs, document tools and upload forms is limited, while PNG is nearly everywhere. If you need to upload somewhere HEIC wouldn't open, try again after converting.
When to convert
- You need to upload to a program, messenger or upload form that can't open HEIC
- You want to use it on a website or blog but browsers can't display HEIC
- You'll edit it several times and want an intermediate file that no longer degrades
- You want to open photos taken on an iPhone on a Windows PC or Android
HEIC → PNG: practical tips
Saving a photo as PNG easily makes it three or four times the size of a JPG. Unless you need an editing master or want to avoid JPG compression noise, JPG is recommended.
Extras inside the HEIC, such as the short video of a Live Photo or depth data, are not converted. Only the main photo is saved as PNG.