Images conversion
Convert HEIC to PNG
Updated Jul 2026
HEIC is the format iPhones save photos in, and PNG is a universal, lossless format that most editing and design tools expect. To convert HEIC to PNG, open the file in a converter and export it as PNG. Doing this on your own computer means the photo, including any location data it carries, never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .png
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Screenshots, logos, UI assets
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert HEIC to PNG on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert HEIC to PNG
- Open Morphjet and drag in the HEIC photos you want to convert. Add one file or a whole folder at once.
- Choose PNG as the output format.
- Convert. The PNGs are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
HEIC vs PNG: what actually changes
| HEIC | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, needs a recent Apple device or plugin | Yes, universal support |
| File size | Smaller, efficient compression | Much larger, no compression benefit for photos |
| Quality | High, but lossy compression | Lossless, exact copy of the source pixels |
| Transparency | No | Supported by the format, though a converted photo stays opaque |
| Keeps date and location (EXIF) | Yes | Usually not, most tools don't carry EXIF into PNG |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert HEIC to PNG when you need a lossless copy for editing, printing, or design work, or when a piece of software simply won't accept HEIC and expects a PNG instead.
Keep the file as HEIC, or convert to JPG instead, if you just want to share or view an everyday photo, since PNG will make the file several times larger for no visible gain.
Why not just use an online converter?
iPhone photos carry EXIF metadata, including the exact GPS location where the shot was taken, and that data lives in the HEIC file itself, before any conversion happens. When you upload that file to an online converter, the location history goes with it, whatever format it comes back as. Converting on your own computer means the original file, and where you took it, never leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting HEIC to PNG lose quality?
No, not from the conversion itself. PNG is lossless, so it stores exactly the pixels the HEIC decodes to, with no further compression loss. The file just ends up much larger.
Will the PNG keep the photo's date and location?
Usually not. Unlike JPG, PNG doesn't have a standard, widely supported way to carry EXIF data, so most converters drop it during export. If you need that metadata preserved, JPG is the safer choice.
Why convert an iPhone photo to PNG instead of JPG?
PNG makes sense if you're pulling the photo into a design tool, need a lossless master to edit further, or the software you're using specifically expects PNG. For everyday sharing and viewing, JPG is smaller and just as good.
Will the PNG have a transparent background?
No. Transparency is something PNG supports as a format, but a regular photo from your iPhone doesn't have an alpha channel to begin with, so the converted PNG will still be fully opaque.
Can I convert HEIC to PNG without uploading my photos?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet. You can do it with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts HEIC, PNG, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.