How to Convert HEIC to SIXEL — Quick & Free
Fast, instant HEIC to SIXEL conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .heic file and get .sixel in seconds.
Batch Settings
About HEIC to SIXEL Conversion
Short answer: yes, you can convert HEIC to SIXEL online for free, and quality is well preserved with the right settings. Just upload your .heic file to CocoConvert, pick SIXEL as the output, and click Convert. The whole process takes seconds.
Now for the details. HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple's format for iPhone photos, offering twice the compression of JPEG. SIXEL is a widely used file format. Converting between these two formats lets you convert between formats quickly.
Your HEIC file is decoded and re-encoded as SIXEL. Converting HEIC to SIXEL maintains high quality with CocoConvert's optimised encoder settings.
CocoConvert runs entirely online — no software to install, no account to create. Your files are encrypted during upload (TLS), processed on isolated servers in Germany, and permanently deleted after 24 hours. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and all mobile browsers.
Need to convert more than one file? Free users can do 5 per hour. Pro gets 100 per hour with files up to 5 GB each.
How to Convert HEIC to SIXEL
- 1
1. Upload HEIC
Drop your .heic file onto the page (or tap "Browse" on mobile). Add multiple files for batch conversion.
- 2
2. Select SIXEL
Choose .sixel from the output dropdown. Settings are pre-configured for best results.
- 3
3. Convert
One click. The server handles all the heavy lifting using FFmpeg and Sharp.
- 4
4. Download
Your .sixel file is ready. Download it directly or get all files as a zip archive.
What Happens When You Convert HEIC to SIXEL
Your HEIC file is decoded and re-encoded as SIXEL.
Your HEIC file is uploaded and validated
The file is decoded (parsed into its raw data)
The data is re-encoded in SIXEL format
The converted file is ready for download
Format Comparison
HEIC
.heic file
| Extension | .heic |
| MIME Type | image/heic |
| Category | Image |
SIXEL
.sixel file
| Extension | .sixel |
| MIME Type | image/x-sixel |
| Category | Image |
Should You Convert HEIC to SIXEL?
When to Convert
- ✓When you need a SIXEL file
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HEIC to SIXEL conversion free?
Yes. CocoConvert offers free HEIC to SIXEL conversion with generous daily limits — 25 minutes of processing time and up to 5 files per hour (250 MB each). Pro plans remove these limits.
How fast is HEIC to SIXEL conversion?
Most files convert in 2–10 seconds depending on size. Large image files may take 30 seconds. Batch jobs process in parallel for maximum speed.
What happens to my files after conversion?
Your uploaded HEIC file and the converted SIXEL file are both automatically deleted from our servers within 24 hours. They are never shared, sold, or analysed.
Does converting HEIC to SIXEL lose quality?
Converting HEIC to SIXEL maintains high quality with CocoConvert's optimised encoder settings.
Can I convert SIXEL back to HEIC?
Yes, CocoConvert supports SIXEL to HEIC conversion as well. However, if the original conversion involved lossy compression, converting back won't recover the lost data.
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