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HEIC Converter

Convert HEIC and HEIF photos from iPhones to JPEG, PNG, or WebP format. All processing happens in your browser — photos are never uploaded.

HEIC Converter

Convert iPhone HEIC/HEIF photos to JPEG, PNG, or WebP. All processing happens in your browser.

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Drop a HEIC/HEIF file here or click to select

Converts iPhone photos to web-friendly formats

What Is HEIC Format?

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is an image format based on the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) standard. Apple adopted HEIC as the default photo format on iPhones and iPads starting with iOS 11 in 2017. HEIC files use the HEVC (H.265) video codec for image compression, achieving roughly 50% smaller file sizes than JPEG at equivalent visual quality.

Why Convert HEIC Files?

Despite HEIC's superior compression, compatibility remains a major issue:

  • Web browsers: Only Safari fully supports HEIC. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge cannot display HEIC images natively.
  • Windows: Windows 10/11 requires installing the "HEVC Video Extensions" from the Microsoft Store (sometimes paid) to view HEIC files.
  • Social media: Most platforms accept HEIC uploads but convert them server-side, which can reduce quality. Converting to JPEG yourself gives you control over the output quality.
  • Email: Many email clients cannot display inline HEIC images. Recipients on non-Apple devices may see broken images or be unable to open attachments.
  • Web development: HEIC is not supported as a web image format. You must convert to JPEG, PNG, or WebP for use on websites.

HEIC vs. JPEG vs. WebP

  • HEIC: Best compression (~50% smaller than JPEG), supports 16-bit color, live photos, and image sequences. Limited compatibility outside Apple ecosystem.
  • JPEG: Universal compatibility, good compression for photos, 8-bit color. The safe choice when you need maximum compatibility.
  • WebP: 25-35% smaller than JPEG, supports transparency and animation. Supported by all modern browsers. The best balance of size and compatibility for web use.
  • PNG: Lossless compression, supports transparency. Larger file sizes than JPEG/WebP for photos. Best for screenshots and images with text.

How This Tool Works

This converter uses a WebAssembly-based HEIC decoder that runs entirely in your browser. When you select a HEIC file, it is decoded locally and re-encoded in your chosen format (JPEG, PNG, or WebP) at your specified quality level. No data is sent to any server — your photos remain completely private.

Large HEIC files (10+ MB) may take a few seconds to process depending on your device's performance. The conversion is CPU-intensive because HEIC uses the complex HEVC codec for compression.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do iPhones save photos as HEIC?
Apple chose HEIC because it offers approximately 50% better compression than JPEG, meaning photos take up half the storage space at the same visual quality. For a 64GB or 128GB iPhone, this can save several gigabytes of storage. HEIC also supports features JPEG cannot, like 16-bit color depth, transparency, and storing multiple images (for live photos and burst mode) in a single file.
How do I stop my iPhone from saving photos as HEIC?
Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and select "Most Compatible" instead of "High Efficiency." This switches photo capture to JPEG and video to H.264. Keep in mind this will use more storage space. Alternatively, you can keep HEIC enabled and set Settings > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC to "Automatic," which converts to JPEG automatically when sharing or transferring.
Are my photos uploaded to a server?
No. The HEIC decoding happens entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your photos never leave your device. You can verify this by disconnecting from the internet after the page loads — the tool continues to work offline.
Why is the converted file larger than the original HEIC?
HEIC achieves ~50% better compression than JPEG, so converting from HEIC to JPEG will produce a larger file. This is expected. To minimize the size increase, use WebP output (which is ~25% smaller than JPEG) or reduce the JPEG quality to 80-85, which is visually indistinguishable from higher quality settings for most photos.
Can I convert multiple HEIC files at once?
This tool currently processes one file at a time. For batch conversion, you can convert files one after another. Each conversion is independent and processed locally in your browser.

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