Image format guide

What is a HEIC / HEIF file?

A space-efficient container commonly produced by iPhone and other modern cameras.

Extensions.heic, .heifCompressionUsually HEVC-based lossy compressionTransparencyContainer-dependent

How to open HEIC / HEIF files

Limited direct browser decoding. When a browser or application cannot decode the file directly, convert a copy to JPG for compatibility or PNG when transparency and lossless graphics matter.

When to use HEIC / HEIF

  • Phone camera originals
  • Apple photo libraries
  • Efficient photo storage

Best settings for HEIC / HEIF

  • Use HEIC as a camera original when your phone or photo library supports it, then export JPG for broad sharing.
  • Convert HEIC to PNG when you need a lossless editing copy or document-friendly output.
  • Use WebP or AVIF exports when preparing HEIC photos for modern web delivery.

Compatibility checklist

  • HEIC browser support varies, so local conversion depends on decoder support and available memory.
  • Multi-image HEIC sequences are not the same as a single still image and may need specialist software.
  • Keep the original HEIC file if metadata, Live Photo data, or camera-library history matters.

Limits to consider

  • Compatibility varies by browser and operating system
  • Image sequences are not processed here

Convert HEIC / HEIF images

Choose an output based on the destination, not just file size. Conversion runs locally in your browser whenever the required decoder is available.