Image format comparison
HEIC vs PNG: Quality, File Size, Compatibility, and When to Use Each
HEIC is usually a better storage format for iPhone photos; PNG is often a better exchange format when an editor or upload form requires widely supported, losslessly encoded pixels. Neither is universally better. Converting a HEIC to PNG cannot recover detail already lost in the original or guarantee preservation of its metadata, HDR or Apple-specific features.
What are HEIC and PNG?
HEIF is a container format that can hold images and related data. HEIC commonly identifies HEIF images encoded with HEVC, including many iPhone photos. PNG is a raster image format that uses lossless compression and supports an alpha channel. A .heif extension alone does not identify every codec inside a file.
See what a HEIC file contains for source-format details, Apple’s HEIF/HEVC guide for device behavior, and MDN’s PNG format reference for PNG capabilities.
HEIC vs PNG at a glance
| Question | HEIC | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Common photo encodings use efficient, often lossy HEVC; settings vary | Lossless compression of encoded pixels |
| Photo file size | Usually compact for photographs | Often larger for detailed photographs; no fixed ratio |
| Compatibility | Depends on device, app and codec | Supported by major browsers and many editors |
| Transparency | Format capability and decoder support vary | Alpha transparency supported; conversion does not remove backgrounds |
| Original photo features | Can carry auxiliary images and Apple photo information | A converted still is not an archive of every HEIC feature |
Does converting HEIC to PNG reduce image quality?
PNG does not add a lossy compression stage to the output pixels, but it does not improve the source photograph. If the HEIC was encoded lossily, its lost information stays lost. Different decoders, color handling and output bit depths can produce differences even when the final PNG encoding is lossless.
Lossless output encoding and faithful preservation of the entire source are separate requirements. For color-critical, HDR or archival workflows, compare the result in an appropriate viewer and retain the HEIC original. FileOnTap does not guarantee original color-profile, HDR, EXIF or depth-data preservation.
Why is PNG larger than HEIC?
HEVC can describe photographic content efficiently, often trading small pixel changes for a smaller file. PNG must encode all output pixel values without that loss. Texture, sensor noise, dimensions, bit depth and source settings affect compression; metadata can also change totals. A flat graphic and a noisy photograph behave differently.
There is no universal size multiplier and no photo benchmark is claimed here. To make a comparison you can reproduce, keep the source, note its dimensions and byte size, convert it, then record the PNG dimensions and byte size from Files or your file manager. Compare multiple representative photos with the same converter version; a PNG-to-HEIC synthetic round trip is a decoder test, not evidence of typical iPhone file sizes.
Browser, operating-system and app compatibility
PNG is widely supported for display in Chrome, Firefox and Safari and for exchange with image editors. HEIC support is less uniform: Apple documents HEIF support on iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later in compatible apps. Windows applications may need HEIF/HEVC extensions; opening a file in one app does not guarantee another app or upload form accepts it.
FileOnTap’s browser decoder avoids a native Windows codec dependency for supported still images. That does not mean every HEIF codec is supported. For platform steps, use the Windows conversion guide, Mac Preview guide or iPhone save-and-share guide.
Metadata, color, transparency and Live Photos
The format’s capabilities are broader than any one converter’s output. PNG can store transparency and some metadata, but an opaque HEIC photograph stays opaque unless you edit its background. A conversion may omit EXIF, depth images or other auxiliary data, and may change color representation or bit depth. A PNG still does not include the video part of a Live Photo.
Keep original HEIC files when capture metadata, wide-gamut color, HDR or Apple photo-library behavior matters. Treat converted PNGs as working or compatibility copies and inspect orientation, colors and dimensions in the software that will use them.
When should you keep HEIC?
Keep HEIC for efficient storage, continued use in compatible Apple photo workflows and access to source information. Do not replace all originals with much larger PNG copies just to make occasional sharing easier. Back up originals and create converted copies only where needed.
When should you use PNG instead?
Choose PNG for an editor, graphics workflow or form that explicitly requires it, or when you want to avoid further lossy encoding during repeated exports of the decoded image. For ordinary photo sharing, check the destination’s requirements and file-size limit. Read JPG vs PNG or HEIC vs JPG when a smaller photo format may suit the task.
How to convert HEIC to PNG
Use FileOnTap’s free HEIC to PNG converter for supported HEIC/HEIF stills without uploading photo contents. You do not need an account.
- Select up to 10 original .heic or .heif files; each input must be 50 MiB or less.
- Wait for automatic, sequential conversion. Device memory and supported codecs affect success; the header safety check blocks images above 45 megapixels when dimensions are available.
- Download each PNG, or all successful results as a ZIP if their combined output is at most 100 MiB.
- Check the results in your target app and keep the original HEIC files.
Sources and scope
Apple: HEIF and HEVC media; MDN: image format guide; W3C: PNG specification; Microsoft: HEIF/HEVC extension errors. Product limits are based on FileOnTap’s current browser converter. This guide makes no measured speed, file-size ratio or ranking claims.