HEIC to PNG Converter

Why Convert HEIC to PNG

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the standard photo format on Apple devices starting from iOS 11. When you take photos on iPhone or iPad, images are saved in HEIC by default, providing half the file size compared to traditional JPG with identical visual quality. However, HEIC has a critical drawback — limited compatibility with software and devices outside the Apple ecosystem.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a universal raster format supported by all operating systems, browsers, and graphic editors without exception. The main difference between PNG and JPG is lossless compression and alpha channel transparency support. These properties make HEIC to PNG conversion the preferred choice for certain scenarios.

PNG conversion is justified when you need to save an image with a transparent background, prepare graphics for web development, create a screenshot or documentation with clear text, or ensure maximum quality for subsequent processing. Unlike JPG, PNG doesn't introduce compression artifacts and preserves every pixel unchanged.

Technical Specifications of HEIC and PNG

Format Architecture

HEIC is a container format based on the HEVC codec (H.265) — the same one used for 4K and 8K video compression. Images are encoded using advanced algorithms: intra-prediction, extended blocks (up to 64×64 pixels), and adaptive quantization. The format can store Live Photos, burst sequences, and depth data for portrait mode. HEIC supports both lossy and lossless compression, as well as 10-16-bit color depth and extended Display P3 color space.

PNG uses two-stage lossless compression. In the first stage, a filtering algorithm analyzes neighboring pixels and records differences between them. In the second stage, the DEFLATE algorithm (similar to ZIP archives) compresses the filtered data. The result decompresses identically to the original byte for byte — no information is lost. PNG supports 8-bit alpha channel, allowing 256 levels of transparency for each pixel.

Feature Comparison

PNG's key advantage is guaranteed opening on any device and in any application. The format is nearly 30 years old, and during this time it has become the standard for web graphics and image exchange between applications.

Color Space and Quality

Modern iPhones shoot in the extended Display P3 color space, covering 25% more tones than standard sRGB. HEIC preserves this information completely. When converting to PNG, it's transformed to sRGB — the standard color space for web and most monitors. For 99% of photos, this transformation is imperceptible since sRGB covers the full range of typical scenes.

An important difference between PNG and JPG: after conversion, the image can be edited and resaved without accumulating artifacts. Each JPG save degrades quality, while PNG preserves data identically regardless of how many times you resave.

When to Choose PNG Over JPG for HEIC Conversion

Preparing Images for Web Development

PNG is the optimal choice for web interface elements:

• Company logos — corporate logos must display correctly on any background. PNG with transparency eliminates the white rectangle around the image.
• App icons — App Store and Google Play require icons in PNG. Product photos for icons are converted to this format.
• Favicon — a site icon in PNG format ensures clear display in browser tabs and bookmarks.
• UI elements with shadows — buttons, cards, banners with shadows and rounded corners require an alpha channel for proper layering.
• Sprites — combining many small images into one file for loading optimization.

Typical scenario: a designer photographs a product on iPhone, processes the shot in an editor, cuts out the object on a transparent background, and exports to PNG for website use.

Creating Screenshots and Technical Documentation

PNG is the standard for screenshots thanks to lossless compression:

• Clear text — every letter is preserved pixel-for-pixel without JPG artifact blurring.
• Accurate interface colors — button colors, indicators, and warnings are reproduced without distortion.
• Editability — you can add arrows, highlights, and annotations without accumulating artifacts.
• Professional appearance — screenshots in technical documentation, training materials, and bug reports look high-quality.

If you're creating instructions, user manuals, or presentations with iPhone screenshots — HEIC to PNG conversion ensures maximum clarity.

Archiving with Maximum Quality

PNG guarantees no degradation during storage:

• Master copies — for important images, PNG serves as an archival format.
• Source files for editing — PNG preserves all details for subsequent processing.
• Multiple exports — from PNG, you can export to other formats multiple times without quality loss.

For long-term storage of iPhone photos, consider the combination: original in HEIC (minimum size) + PNG copy (maximum compatibility).

Working in Graphic Editors

PNG is the preferred intermediate format:

• Layers with transparency — each layer of the composition is exported to PNG separately.
• Masks and selections — complex contours with feathering require an 8-bit alpha channel.
• Exchange between programs — PNG opens in Photoshop, GIMP, Figma, Canva without conversion.

HEIC to PNG Conversion Process

Conversion Stages

1. Reading the HEIC container — analyzing the file structure, extracting the main image. Live Photos, depth data, and auxiliary frames are not transferred.

2. HEVC decoding — decompressing the compressed data using the H.265 decoder. All pixel values are restored in the full Display P3 color space.

3. Extracting metadata — reading shooting information: date, time, camera parameters, frame orientation. EXIF data is used for rotation correction.

4. Orientation correction — applying rotation according to the EXIF Orientation tag. iPhone photos are often saved physically rotated with the correct orientation indicated in metadata.

5. Color space transformation — converting from Display P3 to standard sRGB for maximum compatibility. HDR data is converted to standard dynamic range.

6. Applying transformations — if additional settings are specified: scaling, manual rotation, mirroring, conversion to black and white.

7. PNG encoding — applying filtering algorithms and DEFLATE compression. Compression level affects file size and speed but not quality (PNG is always lossless).

8. File formation — writing PNG headers and image chunks. EXIF metadata is not transferred — PNG doesn't support this standard.

What Is Preserved and What Is Lost

Preserved during conversion:

• Full image resolution (megapixels)
• All pixels without quality loss
• Correct frame orientation (applied automatically)
• Transparency (if present in HEIC)

Lost during conversion:

• EXIF metadata (shooting date, GPS, camera parameters) — PNG doesn't support
• Live Photos data (video before and after the shot)
• Depth information (portrait mode)
• Burst frames (if multiple images in container)
• Wide Display P3 color gamut (converted to sRGB)
• HDR data (converted to SDR)

For most scenarios, the loss of EXIF is not critical — date and GPS are primarily needed for organizing photo archives. The visual quality of the image is fully preserved.

Additional Conversion Features

Image Scaling

Resize as a percentage of the original (10-200%). Used for:

• Web optimization — reducing to the required resolution (e.g., 1920px for Full HD)
• Creating thumbnails — previews for galleries and lists
• Social media preparation — each platform has recommended sizes

Modern interpolation algorithms (Lanczos) are used during scaling to ensure maximum sharpness.

Image Rotation

Manual rotation by 90°, 180°, or 270° in addition to automatic EXIF correction:

• Fixing orientation — when EXIF is recorded incorrectly or missing
• Changing composition — converting from portrait to landscape orientation
• Non-standard angles — shooting with unusual camera positioning

Mirror Reflection

Horizontal or vertical mirroring:

• Fixing selfies — iPhone front camera mirrors the image
• Symmetrical compositions — creating mirrored versions
• Preparing for printing — thermal transfer printing requires a mirrored image

Black and White Conversion

Converting to grayscale while preserving tonal range:

• Artistic processing — black and white photographs
• Documents — scans and document copies
• Size reduction — grayscale images are more compact than color

Comparison with HEIC to JPG Conversion

When to Choose PNG

When to Choose JPG

For regular photos where transparency or multiple editing isn't required, JPG remains the more practical choice:

• File size 5-10 times smaller
• EXIF metadata preserved
• Loads and processes faster
• Standard format for photo printing

Recommendation: convert HEIC to PNG only if you truly need this format's advantages — transparency, lossless compression, or maximum sharpness for graphics.

File Size: What to Expect

PNG files are significantly larger than JPG. Typical ratios for iPhone photos:

For images with large solid-color areas (interface screenshots, diagrams), PNG can be comparable or even more compact than JPG due to DEFLATE algorithm efficiency on repetitive data.

PNG Compatibility

PNG is supported absolutely everywhere:

Browsers

• Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera — full support since the 1990s
• Mobile iOS and Android browsers — without limitations
• Internet Explorer 6+ — even outdated versions

Operating Systems

• Windows — built-in support starting from Windows XP
• macOS — Preview and all Apple applications
• Linux — GNOME, KDE, XFCE, and other environments
• iOS / Android — native support

Software

• Raster editors: Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, Paint.NET
• Vector editors: Illustrator, Inkscape, CorelDRAW
• Design tools: Figma, Sketch, Canva, Adobe XD
• Office suites: Microsoft Office, LibreOffice, Google Docs
• Messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord (preserve transparency)

Unlike HEIC, which requires codec installation on Windows, PNG will open on any device without additional steps.

Alternatives to PNG Conversion

WebP — Modern Alternative

WebP from Google supports transparency and lossless compression, with files 25-35% more compact than PNG:

• Advantages: smaller size, animation support
• Disadvantages: not all programs support it (especially older versions)

For new web projects, WebP is preferable. For compatibility with older systems — PNG.

TIFF — For Professional Printing

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is used in publishing:

• Advantages: CMYK support, 16-bit depth
• Disadvantages: huge file sizes, not for web

For printing at print shops, convert HEIC to TIFF; for everything else — PNG or JPG.

Keeping as HEIC

If files stay within the Apple ecosystem, conversion isn't required:

• iCloud Photo Library
• AirDrop between Apple devices
• Photos app on Mac/iPhone/iPad
• Pages, Keynote, Numbers