How to Convert HEIC to PNG for Lossless Quality
When you convert HEIC photos to JPG, a second round of lossy compression is applied. That is fine for casual sharing, but if you plan to edit the image further or need an archival-quality copy, PNG is the better target. PNG uses lossless compression, meaning zero quality degradation during the conversion.
Converting HEIC to PNG is particularly useful for graphic designers, photographers who need to retouch photos in editors that do not support HEIC, and anyone archiving important images in a universally compatible lossless format.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Open the HEIC to PNG converter
Go to imageconvert.co/heic-to-png in your browser. Works on any device including phones, tablets, and desktop computers. No account or installation required.
- Add your HEIC photos
Drag and drop one or more HEIC files onto the page. You can also click to browse your file system or photo library. Batch conversion is supported.
- Download your PNG files
Each file converts instantly in your browser. Download individual PNG files or use Download All as ZIP for batch downloads. No quality slider needed since PNG is always lossless.
When to Choose PNG Over JPG for HEIC Conversion
JPG is the default recommendation for most HEIC conversions because the files are smaller and universally compatible. But PNG is the right choice in specific situations. If you plan to open the converted file in an image editor and make changes like cropping, color adjustments, or compositing, PNG preserves every pixel from the original HEIC decode. Each time you save a JPG, another round of lossy compression is applied, gradually degrading quality.
PNG is also the correct choice when you need transparency support. While HEIC supports alpha channels, most iPhone photos do not use them. But if you are working with HEIC files from other sources that do include transparency data, PNG preserves it while JPG discards it and fills transparent areas with white.
File Size Differences
The trade-off for lossless quality is file size. A typical iPhone photo in HEIC might be 2-3 MB. Converting to JPG at 85% quality produces a file around 1-2 MB. Converting the same photo to PNG produces a file in the 8-15 MB range because PNG preserves all pixel data without lossy compression.
For sharing via email or messaging, this size difference matters. For archiving on a hard drive or cloud storage, the extra space is usually worth the quality guarantee. Consider your use case before choosing between PNG and JPG as your output format.
Handling HEIC Features That PNG Preserves
PNG carries over more data from HEIC files than JPG does. Both formats lose HEIC-specific metadata like depth maps and Live Photo video clips during conversion, but PNG preserves the full color accuracy of the decoded image at the pixel level. If your HEIC file uses a wide color gamut (Display P3 on iPhones), the PNG conversion retains that color information without the additional quantization that JPG compression introduces.
Batch Converting HEIC to PNG
imageconvert.co processes multiple files in parallel using Web Workers, so batch conversion is fast even for large sets of HEIC photos. Drop your entire folder of files, wait for conversion to complete, and download everything as a ZIP archive. Since all processing happens in your browser, there are no upload queues, server timeouts, or file count limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PNG better than JPG for converting HEIC files?
PNG preserves every pixel without quality loss, making it better for editing and archiving. JPG produces much smaller files and is better for sharing. Choose based on your intended use.
Why are the PNG files so much larger than the HEIC originals?
HEIC uses advanced lossy compression that achieves very small file sizes. PNG uses lossless compression, preserving every pixel at the cost of larger files. The image quality in the PNG is at least as good as the HEIC original.
Does HEIC to PNG conversion preserve transparency?
Yes. If the HEIC file contains an alpha channel with transparency data, converting to PNG preserves it. Most iPhone photos do not have transparency, but HEIC files from other sources might.
Can I convert HEIC to PNG on Windows?
Yes. Open imageconvert.co/heic-to-png in any browser on Windows. The converter uses WebAssembly to decode HEIC files locally without needing the HEIF Image Extensions installed on your system.