Why PNG for an iPhone photo
Most people convert HEIC to JPG, and for sharing that is the right call. PNG is the better choice when the photo is a starting point rather than the final file: you want to retouch it, place it in a design, cut out the subject or hand it to a tool that only takes PNG. Since PNG is lossless, saving it again and again never adds compression on top of what the camera already did.
Expect big files
PNG files of full resolution photos are large. If you need a smaller working copy, bring the dimensions down with the image resizer after converting. For photos that you just want to send or upload, the HEIC to JPG converter gives you small files that open everywhere, and the image compressor can shrink them further.
From iPhone to PNG
- 1On a phone, tap the box and pick photos from your library. On a computer, drop the HEIC files you copied from the phone.
- 2Each photo is decoded and written as PNG. Very large photos on iPhone and iPad are scaled to fit, with a note in the list.
- 3Save the PNG files you need, or the whole batch as a ZIP.
Frequently asked questions
Should I convert HEIC to PNG or JPG?
Choose PNG when you want to edit the photo further without adding compression, or when a design tool asks for PNG. Choose JPG for sharing, uploading and printing, because the files are much smaller.
Why is the PNG so large?
HEIC is a very efficient compressed format, and PNG stores every pixel without loss. A photo can easily become many times bigger as PNG. That is normal and the reason PNG is mostly used as a working format.
Does it work with 48 megapixel iPhone photos?
On a computer, yes, at full size. Safari on iPhone and iPad limits images in the browser to about 16.7 megapixels, so on those devices larger photos are scaled down to fit and the list tells you the new size. Use a computer if you need every pixel.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Safari opens HEIC by itself. In Chrome, Edge and Firefox a decoder of about 3 MB is loaded once when you add your first HEIC photo, and then everything runs on your device.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Your photos are decoded and saved as PNG by your browser. They never leave your computer or phone.