What is HEIC?
HEIC is the default photo format of iPhones and iPads. It uses HEVC (H.265) compression and stores a photo in about half the size of a JPG of the same quality. HEIC is best for storing many photos on a phone without filling the storage. Windows, Android, most websites, print shops and many apps cannot open HEIC without extra codecs.
What is PNG?
PNG is a lossless raster format: every pixel is kept exactly, and it supports full transparency (alpha channel). It is the standard for logos, screenshots, icons and graphics with text or sharp edges. PNG is best for logos, screenshots, graphics with text and anything that needs a transparent background.
When should you convert HEIC to PNG?
- You want to edit an iPhone photo or screenshot without adding JPG compression.
- A design tool, presentation or document template needs PNG.
- You need a lossless master copy before cropping, retouching or adding text.
Tips for the best result
PNG is lossless, so the result keeps every pixel decoded from the HEIC — but PNG photos are large (often 3–6× the HEIC). For sharing photos, HEIC to JPG is usually the better choice.
HEIC vs PNG at a glance
| HEIC | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Raster | Raster |
| Compression | Lossy (HEVC) | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes (full alpha) |
| Animation | Sequences | No (APNG rarely used) |
| Compatibility | Apple devices; poor elsewhere | Universal |
| Best for | Storing many photos on a phone without filling the storage | Logos, screenshots, graphics with text and anything that needs a transparent background |