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Home » How to convert HEIC to PNG on an iPhone, a Mac, or a PC

How to convert HEIC to PNG on an iPhone, a Mac, or a PC

Apple's proprietary file format, HEIC, stores high-quality photographs on iOS devices and compresses them more efficiently than the JPEG standard does. The advantage of HEIC is that it makes better use of your limited mobile storage; however, the drawback is that Windows software doesn't support it. If you need to convert your HEIC files to the more widespread PNG format, don't worry. Here are three ways to do so, depending on your device.

  • There are a number of ways to convert HEIC files to PNG, depending on your device.
  • If you have a Mac, you can export your photos from Preview and then convert them to HEIC format.
  • You'll need third-party software if you want to perform this on Windows. You can create a shortcut on your iPhone so you can save PNG images in a new photo folder.

If you've ever used an iPhone, you're probably familiar with the HEIC file format. HEIC is a new image format that was introduced in iOS 11. It's designed to save space on your device by using advanced compression techniques.

There are a few different ways to convert HEIC to PNG. You can use an online converter, like iConvert Images. Or, if you have a Mac or PC, you can use the built-in Preview app to convert the file.

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How to convert HEIC to PNG on a Mac

Thanks to Apple's photo programme, HEIC photos can be easily converted to PNG files on the Mac. That means you can open a HEIC image in the Preview app and export it as a PNG file.

  • To open a HEIC image, double-click it and Preview should be able to open it.
  • To export the file, select File > Export from the File menu.
  • In the Export box, click the Format drop-down menu and select PNG as your image format of choice.
  • Select a location to store the exported file.
  • Click the Export button to finalize exporting the file.

You can save a HEIC image as a PNG in any other Apple photo software on your Mac, but the processes may differ.

How to convert HEIC to PNG on a PC / Windows

Although Windows photo programs can convert a HEIC image to a PNG, additional software is required. In order to use HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions, you'll need to download both of these apps from the Windows Store.

However, there is a simpler solution (and free way).

  • Open Convertio in your web browser. Check to see if it is set up to convert HEIC to PNG.
  • Once you’ve selected the HEIC files you’d like to convert, click the Choose Files button.
  • Convertio allows you to convert a file from one format to another, such as HEIC to PNG.
  • Select PNG from the to menu and click Convert.
  • A few seconds later, the documents will be in PNG format. Go to your computer’s Downloads folder and choose the file you have downloaded.

How to convert HEIC to PNG on a iPhone

If you want to keep your photographs compatible with your computer's software, use your iPhone's Settings app to save them as JPG files instead of HEIC files.

  • Open the Settings app on your phone.
  • Select Camera from the list of options.
  • In the Camera Capture section, select Most Compatible. All new images will be stored in JPG format as a result of this action.

If you want JPG files instead of PNGs, the Shortcuts app can help you convert your HEIC or JPG images. If you don't have the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, you can get it from the App Store.

  • Open the Shortcuts app.
  • To add a new shortcut, click the plus sign (+) in the upper right corner of the page.
  • Search for "Select Photos" in the search box at the bottom of the screen and touch Select photos when it appears in the results.
  • You can select numerous photographs by tapping the arrow in the Select photos box, and then swiping the Select Multiple button to the right.
  • Convert Image can be found by searching for it and then adding it to your plugins.
  • Click JPEG (the default format it converts files to) in the Convert Image box and then click PNG in the list of file format alternatives.
  • Save to Photo Album is an option that can be found by performing a search.
  • To save your newly created PNG files, go to the Save to Photo Album box and press Recents.
  • Click Save to Photo Album at the top of the page and give this shortcut a name.
  • Once you've finished, press Done and then the X in the upper right of the screen.