Images conversion
Convert AVIF to HEIC
AVIF and HEIC are close cousins. Both wrap a modern video codec around a single photo to get small files at good quality, but they use different codecs and different ecosystems adopted them. AVIF is the web's choice; HEIC is Apple's. Converting AVIF to HEIC is what you do when a file looks fine in a browser but will not open in Photos or on an iPhone.
All 2,748 conversions verified on macOS, Windows, and Linux against the shipping release, this one included. Every conversion runs entirely on your own computer.
- Extension
- .avif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Next-gen web images
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert AVIF to HEIC on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.
How to convert AVIF to HEIC
- Open Morphjet and drag in your AVIF files. Whole folders work if you have a batch of them.
- Choose HEIC as the output. Nothing is uploaded; the work happens on your own machine.
- Pick a destination for the converted copies. The originals stay exactly where they were.
AVIF vs HEIC: what actually changes
| AVIF | HEIC | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is native | Browsers and the open web | iPhone, iPad and Mac |
| File size | Very small | Very small, broadly comparable |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Opens in Apple Photos | Inconsistently | Yes |
| Good for | Publishing on the web | Storing in an Apple photo library |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert AVIF to HEIC when you have downloaded images that will not open on your phone or import into your photo library. It is the practical fix for the gap between what browsers support and what Apple's photo apps accept.
Do not bother if the file is destined for a website. AVIF is better supported by browsers than HEIC is, so converting would move it in the wrong direction. Both are lossy, so a needless round trip only costs quality.
Why not just use an online converter?
Both formats can carry the same metadata as any other photo, including capture time and location. Converting on your own computer keeps that information under your control, and means an image you downloaded is not uploaded straight back out to a third party to change its container.
Questions
Does converting between them lose quality?
A little. Both are lossy, so re-encoding means a second generation of compression. It is rarely visible at normal viewing sizes, but it is not free, and repeated round trips will show.
Why does my AVIF not open on my iPhone?
Support has improved but is still uneven across apps and older versions. HEIC is the format Apple built its photo pipeline around, so it is the safer destination if the file needs to live in a photo library.
Will the result open on an iPhone or Mac?
Yes. HEIC is what Apple devices shoot in by default, so the files land in Photos, Messages and AirDrop with no extra step.
Does this need an internet connection?
No. Conversion runs locally, so it works offline and nothing is sent anywhere.
Morphjet runs this conversion and 2,747 others, all on your machine. Available now.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.