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How this tool is built: it ships no HEVC decoder. It uses only the decoding your browser already provides. As a result it works only in browsers with native support (such as Safari) and does not work in Chrome, Firefox or Edge. Loading a decoding library from a CDN would make it work everywhere, but that would bring the HEVC patent and licensing question onto this site, so we deliberately do not do it. The reasoning is set out in our article on HEIC/HEIF licensing.
Choose a HEIC / HEIF file
Click to choose a file
or drag and drop a .heic / .heif file here
A preview of your image will appear here.
File name: -
Dimensions: - Original size: -
How to use: choose a .heic file, pick the target format on the right, and press Convert. Files are never sent to a server; everything runs in your browser. It works even with your network connection turned off.
Conversion settings
90
Fills transparent areas
Output format: - Output size: -
Change: -
Related: HEIC/HEIF licensing explained Image format converter Images to PDF

How this tool works, and its limits

Why it works in some browsers and not others

HEIC is HEVC (H.265) compressed image data inside a HEIF container. Displaying it requires an HEVC decoder, and because active patent pools exist for HEVC, browsers have been slow to ship one. According to caniuse.com, as of July 2026 the only browser with native HEIF/HEIC display is Safari 17 and later; Chrome, Firefox and Edge do not support it.

This tool uses only that built-in browser decoding. Specifically, it hands the file to createImageBitmap() or an <img> element to decode, draws the result onto a <canvas>, and writes it out as JPEG, PNG or WebP with canvas.toBlob(). If your browser cannot decode HEIC, it fails at that very first step.

Why we do not load a decoding library from a CDN

Loading a WebAssembly port of libheif from a CDN would make conversion work in Chrome too. It is technically possible. We do not do it because it would put this site in the position of distributing an HEVC decoder. Whether you satisfy the software license (libheif is LGPL v3) and whether you need a license to the HEVC standard essential patents are separate questions, and we did not want to publish an article about that while ignoring it in our own implementation.

Alternatives if it does not work for you

Privacy

Both decoding and conversion happen entirely inside your browser. The file you select is never sent to or stored on a server. The tool also works with your network connection turned off.

Frequently asked questions

Why does it not work in Chrome or Firefox?

Because this tool ships no HEVC decoder and uses only the decoding your browser already provides. According to caniuse.com, the only browser with native HEIF/HEIC support is Safari 17 and later; Chrome, Firefox and Edge do not support it. Loading a decoding library from a CDN would make it work everywhere, but that would bring the HEVC patent and licensing question onto this site, so we deliberately do not do it.

Are my images uploaded to a server?

No. Both decoding and conversion happen entirely inside your browser. The file you select is never sent to or stored on a server. The tool also works with your network connection turned off.

How can I convert HEIC on Windows?

On Windows 10 and later, installing the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store lets File Explorer and the Photos app open HEIC files, from which you can save to another format. Note that this is a separate mechanism from browser HEIC support, so installing the extension will not make this tool work in Chrome or Edge.

Can my iPhone shoot JPEG instead of HEIC?

Yes. In iOS, open Settings, then Camera, then Formats, and choose Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency. Photos taken after that are saved as JPEG rather than HEIC. If compatibility problems keep recurring, changing the capture setting is more reliable than converting afterwards.