PNG vs HEIC — Comparison & Free Converter
Fast, instant PNG to HEIC conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .png file and get .heic in seconds.
Batch Settings
Transparency will be lost
PNG supports transparency, but HEIC does not. Transparent areas will be filled with a solid color (typically white). If you need transparency, consider converting to PNG or WebP instead.
Quality reduction ahead
PNG is lossless, meaning every bit of data is preserved. HEIC uses lossy compression — some data is permanently discarded to reduce file size. At high quality settings the difference is usually imperceptible, but the original data cannot be recovered.
Some metadata may not survive
Your PNG file may contain tEXt, iTXt, ICC metadata. HEIC has limited or no support for these metadata types. Location data (GPS), camera settings, and color profiles may be stripped during conversion.
Color depth reduction: 48-bit → 10-bit
PNG stores up to 48 bits per channel, but HEIC supports only 10 bits. You may notice banding in smooth gradients (like sky or skin tones) where subtle color transitions are lost.
What compression artifacts to expect
HEIC lossy compression can produce blurring and occasional color shifts at high compression. At the high quality settings CocoConvert uses by default, these are usually invisible to the eye. Lower quality settings trade visual fidelity for smaller file sizes.
About PNG to HEIC Conversion
PNG or HEIC — which format should you use? The answer depends on your needs. Here's a quick breakdown.
PNG uses lossless compression and supports transparency, making it perfect for graphics, logos, and screenshots. It has universal platform support. HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's format for iPhone photos, offering twice the compression of JPEG. It has limited platform support.
Full Name: PNG uses Portable Network Graphics, while HEIC uses High Efficiency Image Container. Compression: PNG uses Lossless, while HEIC uses Lossy. Transparency: PNG uses Yes, while HEIC uses No.
So when should you convert PNG to HEIC? This conversion is ideal when you Your PNG file is too large for email attachments or upload limits, or when you You want to reduce storage usage without noticeably affecting quality. This conversion helps you reduce file size without visible quality loss.
PNG supports transparency, but HEIC does not. Transparent areas will be filled with a solid color (typically white). If you need transparency, consider converting to PNG or WebP instead. Common misconception: ""My file's transparent background will carry over to HEIC"" — in reality, heic doesn't support transparency. transparent areas become solid (usually white). save as png or webp if you need transparency.
If you've decided HEIC is the right choice, CocoConvert makes the conversion effortless. Upload your .png file, pick HEIC, and click Convert — done in seconds. The converter runs on secure servers in Germany, powered by FFmpeg, Sharp, and qpdf. Files are encrypted via TLS and erased within 24 hours.
Free tier: 5 files/hour, 250 MB each. Pro: 100 files/hour, 5 GB each. Works in every modern browser on desktop and mobile.
How to Convert PNG to HEIC
- 1
Choose your PNG file
Upload your .png file using drag-and-drop or the file browser. Batch mode lets you add multiple files.
- 2
Set format to HEIC
Select .heic from the output options. The converter applies optimal quality settings automatically.
- 3
Run the conversion
Click Convert. Server-side processing means your device stays fast — even for large image files.
- 4
Get your HEIC file
Download your converted file instantly. Batch downloads are available as a zip archive.
What Happens When You Convert PNG to HEIC
Your PNG image is decoded into raw pixel data, then re-encoded as HEIC. Some quality is permanently lost during compression. CocoConvert uses high-quality defaults to minimize this.
Your PNG file is decoded — the compressed/stored pixel data is expanded into raw RGBA (with alpha channel) pixels
Transparency is resolved: transparent pixels are composited onto a white background
Pixels are re-encoded using High Efficiency Image Container's lossy compression algorithm
Metadata (EXIF, ICC profiles) is transferred where HEIC supports it
The HEIC file is saved and ready for download
PNG vs HEIC — Detailed Comparison
| Feature | .PNG | .HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Portable Network Graphics | High Efficiency Image Container |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| Animation | No | Yes |
| Color Depth | 8 or 16 bits/channel (up to 48-bit color) | 10 bits/channel |
| HDR Support | No | Yes |
| Typical File Size | 5–20 MB per photo, <1 MB for graphics | 1–3 MB per photo (half of JPEG) |
| Platform Support | Universal | Limited |
| Browser Support | Universal | Limited |
| Year Created | 1996 | 2015 |
| Open Standard | Yes | No |
Should You Convert PNG to HEIC?
When to Convert
- ✓Your PNG file is too large for email attachments or upload limits
- ✓You want to reduce storage usage without noticeably affecting quality
When NOT to Convert
- ✗You need to preserve transparent areas — HEIC doesn't support transparency
Consider alternatives:
Common Mistakes When Converting PNG to HEIC
"My file's transparent background will carry over to HEIC"
HEIC doesn't support transparency. Transparent areas become solid (usually white). Save as PNG or WebP if you need transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use PNG or HEIC?
It depends on your goal. PNG preserves full quality. HEIC offers smaller files via lossy compression. Choose based on whether file size or quality matters more for your use case.
Is HEIC higher quality than PNG?
Not necessarily. PNG supports transparency, but HEIC does not. Transparent areas will be filled with a solid color (typically white). If you need transparency, consider converting to PNG or WebP instead. Quality depends on the compression type and settings, not just the format name.
Can I convert PNG to HEIC on Mac and Windows?
Yes. CocoConvert is a web-based tool that works in all modern browsers — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge — on any operating system including macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
Is CocoConvert free for PNG to HEIC?
Yes. Free users get 5 conversions per hour (250 MB each). Pro subscribers unlock 100 files per hour, 5 GB per file, and priority processing.
What tools does CocoConvert use for PNG to HEIC?
CocoConvert uses FFmpeg for audio/video, Sharp for images, and qpdf for documents — the same open-source libraries used by Netflix, YouTube, and major enterprise platforms.
Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.