How to convert HEIC to PNG
- Drop your HEIC or HEIF files on the box, click Choose images, or paste. Up to 30 files can be converted together, and other formats in the same batch are converted too.
- PNG is already selected under Convert to. PNG output is lossless by default, so no further detail is lost.
- Each file is converted in turn; the list shows the new size and any notes. Drag the preview divider to compare the original with the PNG copy.
- Download files one by one or click Download all (ZIP).
When PNG is the right choice
PNG stores every pixel exactly, which makes it the better target when the photo is going to be edited again: retouched, cut out, layered in a design tool or used as a texture. Saving to JPG after every edit adds a new round of compression artifacts; PNG does not. Some design and presentation tools also handle PNG more predictably than HEIC.
For sharing or uploading a finished photo, JPG is usually better, because PNG photos are large. Use HEIC to JPG for that.
File size: expect a much bigger file
HEIC is designed to be small; Apple notes that HEIF offers better compression than JPEG. PNG is designed to be exact. A HEIC photo converted to lossless PNG is therefore often 5–15 times larger. Our 9.6 KB 1200 × 800 sample became a 122 KB PNG. A 12 MP iPhone photo can easily become a 15–25 MB PNG.
| PNG mode | Sample result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Lossless | 122 KB, every pixel kept | Editing, archiving, design work |
| Smart (256 colors) | 61 KB, colors reduced with dithering | Simple graphics and screenshots, not photos |
Smart mode is great for screenshots and graphics saved as HEIC, but on real photos the reduced palette can show banding in skies, so keep Lossless for photographs.
Privacy and metadata
Everything happens inside this browser tab. Pixdesk reads your files with the browser’s own image decoder, redraws them on a canvas in a background worker and saves the new file with the browser’s encoder. There is no upload endpoint on pixdesk.cc, and the page makes no network request while it works. You can check that yourself in two minutes with your browser’s Network panel.
HEIC decoding in Chrome, Edge and Firefox uses the open-source heic2any decoder served from pixdesk.cc; Safari decodes HEIC natively. The PNG files contain no EXIF data, so GPS location and camera details are removed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert HEIC to PNG?
Drop the HEIC files here, keep PNG selected and download. Conversion runs in your browser and takes a second or two per photo.
Is HEIC to PNG lossless?
The PNG keeps every decoded pixel exactly. The HEIC itself was compressed when the photo was taken, so PNG preserves that image without adding any new loss.
Why is the PNG so large?
PNG stores pixels without lossy compression, while HEIC is very efficient. Expect a PNG several times larger than the HEIC. Use JPG if file size matters.
Can I keep transparency?
PNG supports transparency, but iPhone photos have none, so the PNG will be fully opaque. Transparent HEIC graphics keep their transparency.
Can I convert several HEIC photos to PNG at once?
Yes, up to 30 per batch. Download them all in one ZIP.
Does it work without uploading?
Yes. Pixdesk never uploads your photos; the decoder and the PNG encoder both run inside your browser.
Is GPS data removed?
Yes. The PNG files contain only pixels, so location and camera information are not copied.
What about HEIF files with several images?
Pixdesk converts the primary image of each HEIC or HEIF file, which is the photo you see in the Photos app.
Sources
- Apple Support: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices — HEIF compresses better than JPEG; Settings › Camera › Formats
- heic2any (open-source HEIC decoder used on HEIC pages)
Sources checked on 19 October 2026.