iPhone Tips

How to Convert HEIC to PNG — Free, Lossless, No Install (2026)

Q: Why convert HEIC to PNG instead of JPG?

Convert to PNG when you need lossless quality with zero compression artifacts, when the image has (or needs) a transparent background, or when you plan to edit the photo further in design software where repeated saves would degrade a JPG. For ordinary photo sharing and storage, JPG is usually the better choice because PNG files are significantly larger for photographic content.

Q: Does converting HEIC to PNG lose quality?

No. PNG uses lossless compression, so converting a HEIC photo to PNG preserves every pixel of visual detail from the decoded image with zero additional compression loss. The only caveat is that HEIC itself is a lossy format — so the PNG inherits whatever compression HEIC already applied, but the conversion step itself adds no further loss.

Q: Why is my converted PNG so much larger than the original HEIC?

This is expected and not a sign of anything wrong. HEIC uses HEVC-based compression that can shrink a photo to a fraction of its raw size. PNG uses lossless compression that cannot achieve anywhere near the same ratio for photographic images with millions of subtle color gradients. A 2-3 MB HEIC photo commonly becomes a 15-30 MB PNG. If file size matters more than lossless quality, convert to JPG instead.

Q: Can I convert HEIC to PNG on iPhone directly?

Not natively — the iPhone's Photos app and Files app can export to JPEG but do not offer a built-in PNG export option. The practical options on iPhone are: open convertlo.pro/heic-to-png.html in Safari or Chrome and convert directly in the browser, or use a third-party conversion app from the App Store. The browser method requires no app installation and keeps your photo on your device.

Q: Does HEIC to PNG conversion preserve transparency?

A standard iPhone photo has no transparency — it's a fully opaque rectangular image, so there is nothing to preserve. PNG's transparency support becomes relevant only when you later edit the converted image (for example, removing the background) and need to save it with a transparent layer, which JPG cannot do. Converting straight from HEIC to PNG simply gives you a lossless opaque image ready for that kind of editing.

Q: What is the best free way to convert HEIC to PNG?

Convertlo's browser-based converter (convertlo.pro/heic-to-png.html) is the fastest free option that works on any device — Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android — without installing anything. It decodes and re-encodes the image locally in your browser, so the photo never leaves your device. Mac users can also use Preview (File > Export > PNG); Windows users need the free HEIF Image Extensions plus an image editor that supports PNG export, since the Photos app only saves to JPEG.

Q: Can I batch convert multiple HEIC files to PNG at once?

Yes. Convertlo supports dropping multiple HEIC files at once and converting them all to PNG in your browser, then downloading them individually or as a batch. On Mac, Finder's Quick Actions only offers JPEG and HEIC as batch export targets, not PNG, so a browser tool or a dedicated batch image converter (like XnView MP on Windows) is the most practical route for bulk HEIC-to-PNG jobs.

Jun 7, 2026 · 12 min read · Convertlo Team

HEIC PNG iPhone Lossless Transparency

HEIC → PNG — key facts

0% lossPNG is lossless

5–10×larger output file

3 methodsbrowser, Mac, Windows

0 uploadswith Convertlo

TL;DR — Direct Answer
Why Convert HEIC to PNG (and When Not To)
Method 1: Convertlo Browser Converter (Any Device)
Method 2: Mac Preview
Method 3: Windows (HEIF Extension + Editor)
Why the PNG Is So Much Bigger Than the HEIC
Batch Converting Many Files
Frequently Asked Questions

HEIC is the default photo format on every iPhone since iOS 11, but it isn't always the right format to share, edit, or upload. PNG — a lossless format that supports transparency and is universally supported by image editors, design tools, and websites — is the better choice in several specific situations. This guide covers exactly when to convert HEIC to PNG, the fastest free methods on every platform, and what to expect from the resulting file size.

1. TL;DR — Direct Answer

The direct answer: The fastest free way to convert HEIC to PNG is Convertlo's browser-based converter at convertlo.pro/heic-to-png.html — drag in your HEIC photo and download a PNG in seconds, with nothing uploaded to a server. On Mac, open the photo in Preview and choose File → Export → PNG. On Windows, install the free HEIF Image Extensions, then open the photo in an editor that supports PNG export (the built-in Photos app only exports to JPEG). Expect the PNG to be roughly 5–10× larger than the original HEIC — that's normal, not a sign of a bad conversion.

Method	Platform	Install needed?	Batch support?
Convertlo browser converter	Any device	No	Yes
Mac Preview	macOS	Built-in	No (single file)
Windows + HEIF extension + editor	Windows	Free extension + editor	Depends on editor

2. Why Convert HEIC to PNG (and When Not To)

PNG and JPG solve different problems. Before converting, it's worth confirming PNG is actually the right target — for plain photo sharing, JPG is usually a better fit. Here's when PNG genuinely earns its larger file size:

✓

You need lossless quality for further editing

If you're going to open the photo in Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, or any layered editor and save it multiple times, PNG (or a native editor format) avoids the generational quality loss that comes from repeatedly re-saving a JPG.

✓

You're about to remove the background or add transparency

JPG cannot store transparency at all. If your next step is background removal, cutting out a subject, or compositing the photo over another image, you need a format that supports an alpha channel — PNG is the standard choice.

✓

The image contains text, line art, or screenshots mixed with the photo

PNG's lossless compression handles sharp edges, text, and flat colors far better than JPG, which introduces blocky compression artifacts around high-contrast edges. If your HEIC is actually a scanned document or annotated image, PNG preserves those edges perfectly.

When NOT to use PNG: ordinary photo sharing and storage

For everyday photos — family pictures, social posts, printing, email — JPG (or keeping the original HEIC) is the better choice. PNG files for photographic content are routinely 5–10× larger than an equivalent JPG with no visible quality benefit, since the human eye can't distinguish lossless from high-quality lossy compression in a normal photo.

3. Method 1: Convertlo Browser Converter (Any Device)

Convertlo's HEIC to PNG converter decodes and re-encodes your photo entirely inside your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly — no upload, no account, no installation. It works identically on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Chromebook.

Open convertlo.pro/heic-to-png.html

Visit the page in Safari, Chrome, Edge, or Firefox — desktop or mobile, no app required.

Drag your HEIC photo onto the converter

Drop one file or several at once. On iPhone or Android, tap Browse to select photos directly from your camera roll.

Download the PNG

Conversion finishes in a few seconds, locally on your device. Click Download — your original HEIC is untouched and nothing was sent anywhere.

Convert HEIC to PNG — free, private, lossless

Your photo never leaves your device. Works on any platform, any browser.

HEIC to PNG HEIC to JPG

4. Method 2: Mac Preview

Macs handle HEIC natively, and Preview — the built-in image viewer — exports directly to PNG.

Open the HEIC file in Preview

Double-click the photo. It opens in Preview by default on macOS High Sierra and later.

Go to File → Export

Click File in the menu bar, then Export (not "Export as PDF"). The export dialog appears.

Choose PNG from the Format dropdown and save

Select PNG from the format list — there's no quality slider because PNG is lossless. Pick a destination and click Save.

For multiple files, Preview only exports one at a time. Mac's Finder Quick Actions (right-click → Quick Actions → Convert Image) supports batch conversion, but only to JPEG or HEIC — not PNG — so for bulk PNG conversion, the browser method or a dedicated batch tool is faster.

5. Method 3: Windows (HEIF Extension + Editor)

Windows needs an extra step compared to Mac, because the built-in Photos app can only export HEIC to JPEG — it has no PNG export option.

Install the free HEIF Image Extensions

Open the Microsoft Store, search "HEIF Image Extensions" (from Microsoft Corporation), and install it. This lets Windows open and display HEIC files.

Open the file in an editor that exports PNG

Once the extension is installed, free editors like Paint, Paint.NET, or GIMP can open the HEIC file. The built-in Photos app cannot export to PNG — you must use a different application for this step.

Save / Export as PNG

Use File → Save As (Paint) or File → Export As (GIMP, Paint.NET) and choose PNG as the format.

If installing extensions and switching between apps sounds like too many steps, the Convertlo browser method (Method 1) skips all of it — open the page, drop the file, download the PNG. No extension, no extra editor, works the same on a locked-down work PC as it does on your personal laptop.

6. Why the PNG Is So Much Bigger Than the HEIC

Short answer: Because HEIC uses highly efficient lossy compression (HEVC-based) and PNG uses lossless compression that cannot shrink photographic gradients nearly as much. A 2.5 MB HEIC photo commonly becomes a 18-25 MB PNG of the same image — that's the format doing exactly what it's designed to do, not a conversion error.

Format	Compression type	Typical size for a 12 MP photo
HEIC	Lossy (HEVC)	2–4 MB
JPG (90% quality)	Lossy (DCT)	4–7 MB
PNG	Lossless (DEFLATE)	18–30 MB

This isn't a flaw in the conversion — it's the fundamental trade-off of lossless compression. PNG was designed for graphics with flat colors, sharp edges, and limited palettes (logos, screenshots, line art), where it compresses superbly. Photographic images, with millions of subtly varying colors and natural noise, defeat PNG's compression algorithm and result in much larger files. If file size matters more than pixel-perfect lossless preservation, convert to JPG instead — see our HEIC to JPG guide for that path.

7. Batch Converting Many Files

If you need to convert a whole folder of HEIC photos to PNG, here are the practical options:

Browser (Convertlo)

Drag multiple HEIC files onto the converter at once. Each is processed locally in your browser and can be downloaded individually or as a batch — no per-file limit beyond your device's available memory.

Windows: XnView MP (Free)

XnView MP includes a batch converter (Tools → Batch Convert) that supports PNG as an output format once the HEIF codec is installed. Point it at a folder, choose PNG, and it processes the entire set.

Mac: Automator Workflow

Mac's Quick Actions menu doesn't offer PNG, but you can build a one-time Automator workflow using the "Change Type of Images" action set to PNG, then run it on any folder by drag-and-drop. This handles large batches without third-party software.

Before batch-converting an entire photo library to PNG, consider the storage impact: at 5–10× the file size of HEIC, converting 1,000 photos could turn a 3 GB library into 20–30 GB. Convert only the specific photos you need in PNG for editing or transparency work, and keep the rest in their original format.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert HEIC to PNG instead of JPG?

Convert to PNG when you need lossless quality for further editing, when the image needs (or will need) a transparent background, or when it contains sharp text/line-art elements that JPG would blur with compression artifacts. For ordinary photo sharing and storage, JPG remains the better choice — PNG files are significantly larger for photographic content with no visible quality benefit.

Does converting HEIC to PNG lose quality?

No — PNG is lossless, so the conversion step itself adds zero compression loss. Every pixel from the decoded HEIC image is preserved exactly. The only quality ceiling is whatever HEIC's own (lossy) compression already applied when the photo was originally taken; the PNG simply locks in that result without degrading it further.

Why is my converted PNG so much larger than the original HEIC?

This is completely normal. HEIC uses HEVC-based lossy compression that's highly efficient at shrinking photographic images; PNG uses lossless compression that cannot match that ratio for photos with millions of subtle gradients. A 2-3 MB HEIC photo commonly becomes an 18-30 MB PNG. If smaller file size matters more than lossless preservation, convert to JPG instead.

Can I convert HEIC to PNG on iPhone directly?

Not with built-in tools — the Photos and Files apps export to JPEG only, with no PNG option. The simplest route on iPhone is opening convertlo.pro/heic-to-png.html in Safari or Chrome and converting right there in the browser; it works without installing any app and keeps the photo on your device throughout.

Does HEIC to PNG conversion preserve transparency?

A standard iPhone photo has no transparency to begin with — it's a fully opaque image, so there's nothing to preserve at the conversion step. PNG's transparency support matters for what comes next: if you plan to remove the background or composite the photo over something else, you need a format with an alpha channel, and PNG is the standard choice for that follow-up editing.

What is the best free way to convert HEIC to PNG?

Convertlo's browser converter (convertlo.pro/heic-to-png.html) is the fastest free option that works identically across every device — no installs, no accounts, nothing uploaded. Mac users can also use Preview's File → Export → PNG. Windows users need the free HEIF Image Extensions plus an editor that supports PNG export, since the built-in Photos app exports to JPEG only.

Can I batch convert multiple HEIC files to PNG at once?

Yes — Convertlo lets you drop multiple HEIC files at once and converts them all locally in the browser, with downloads available individually or as a batch. On Windows, XnView MP's batch converter supports PNG output. On Mac, Quick Actions doesn't offer PNG, but a simple Automator workflow using "Change Type of Images" handles entire folders.

PNG isn't a universal upgrade over HEIC or JPG — it's a specialist tool for lossless editing and transparency work. Convert to it deliberately, when the larger file size is buying you something you actually need, and you'll get the best of both worlds.

✎

Convertlo Editorial Team

We test file conversion tools, formats, and workflows so you do not have to. All guides are written from hands-on testing across platforms and devices.