Convert HEIC to PNG without losing a single pixel
HEIC to PNG conversion gives you a lossless copy of your iPhone photos that opens in virtually every image editor, design tool and operating system. HEIC is compact and efficient, but many programs still refuse it. PNG is universally supported and, unlike JPG, never throws away detail when the file is saved. That makes it the natural choice when a photo is the starting point for further work rather than the final result.
The conversion happens entirely in your browser. A WebAssembly build of libheif, the open-source HEIC decoder, runs on your own device, so your photos are never uploaded. There is no account, no watermark and no limit on the number or size of files – only your device’s memory sets the pace.
When PNG is the right choice
PNG shines in a few specific situations:
- Editing and retouching. Every time a JPG is edited and saved again, it is re-compressed and loses a little more detail. A PNG can be opened, changed and saved as often as you like without any extra loss.
- Graphic design and presentations. Slides, mock-ups and layouts often combine photos with text and shapes. PNG keeps sharp edges and smooth gradients clean.
- Cut-outs and transparency. PNG supports a transparent background. Your camera photos don’t contain transparency, but if you plan to remove the background in an editor, a PNG is the right base file.
- Screenshots and text. Images with lettering, UI elements or diagrams look crisper as PNG than as JPG.
- Archiving a master copy. If you want one perfect, lossless version of an important photo in a universal format, PNG does the job.
PNG vs JPG: which one should you pick?
For everyday photos that you share, upload or print, JPG is usually the better fit because the files are much smaller. For editing, design work or anything that needs a lossless master, choose PNG.
| Feature | PNG | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy (quality 50–100) |
| Typical size of a 12 MP iPhone photo | 15–25 MB | 3–6 MB at quality 92 |
| Transparency | Supported | Not supported |
| Re-saving after edits | No extra loss | Slight loss each time |
| Best for | Editing, design, cut-outs, archiving | Sharing, uploading, printing |
If file size matters more than perfect fidelity, use the HEIC to JPG converter instead – at the default quality of 92 the difference is invisible to the eye.
How to convert HEIC to PNG on any device
On Windows and Mac: open this page in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, select PNG under “Convert to” and drag your HEIC files onto the drop zone. You can also click “Choose a folder” to convert a whole folder at once.
On iPhone and iPad: tap “Choose photos”, pick images from your library or the Files app, then download the PNG files. They are saved to Files › Downloads.
On Android: if someone sends you iPhone photos through WhatsApp, e-mail or a cloud drive, open the file picker, choose the HEIC files and save the PNG versions to your phone.
Tip: PNG files are big. For dozens of photos, download them with “Download all (ZIP)” so you get a single file instead of many separate downloads. For large photo libraries, see our guide to batch converting HEIC files.
Colours, metadata and resolution
The PNG keeps the full resolution of the original photo and its colour profile, so the wide Display P3 colours of recent iPhones are preserved instead of being flattened. Orientation is applied correctly, so portrait shots don’t end up sideways.
Photo information (EXIF) is handled the same way as for JPG. By default the converter keeps the date, camera and lens details but removes the GPS location, so you don’t share where a picture was taken by accident. Under “Photo info (EXIF)” you can switch to “Remove all” or “Keep all”.
Special HEIC files
Live Photos are converted as the still image (the short video is not included). Portrait mode photos are converted as the main image, without the depth map, and burst or multi-image HEIC files use the primary image. If you are curious about why HEIC behaves this way, read our explainer on what HEIC is.
Need a different format?
PNG is ideal for editing, but not for every task. To send several photos as one document – receipts, forms or an application – convert HEIC to PDF. And if you just want to look at a HEIC file before deciding what to do with it, open it in the HEIC viewer.
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