HEIF and HEIC: what is the difference
HEIF is the container format, and HEIC is the version of it that stores pictures compressed with HEVC. iPhones save HEIC photos, often with a .heic extension, while some cameras and apps use .heif. This tool reads both.
Some HEIF files use other compression, such as AVIF-style images. If one can't be read you will see a clear message instead of a broken file.
JPG or PNG, and which quality
- JPG gives small files and is the right choice for photos. High (92%) looks the same as the original to most eyes, Medium (80%) is a good balance, and Small file (60%) is for email and chat.
- PNG keeps every pixel exactly, which suits editing or screenshots, but a photo usually becomes several times larger than the JPG.
- The quality setting only applies to JPG. PNG is always lossless.
Private by design
Your photos are converted inside this page. Nothing is uploaded and the page cannot make network requests to other sites. Location, camera model and the date taken are not copied into the new file, so it is safe to share. Photos are turned the right way up, and if a HEIC file holds several pictures (a burst or the still from a Live Photo), the main one is converted.
Questions
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs in your browser and the page blocks network requests to other sites, so your photos never leave your device.
Can I convert many photos at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like. They are converted one after another so your device stays responsive, and you can download each image or everything as a single zip.
Does the photo keep its location and date?
No. The new file is built from the pixels only, so GPS location and camera details are removed. That is useful for privacy, but it means the date taken is not kept either.
Why does a very large photo take longer or fail?
A 48 megapixel photo needs a lot of memory to decode. If a photo fails, close other tabs or convert it on its own.