Mac HEIC conversion guide

How to Convert HEIC to PNG on Mac

The easiest built-in way to convert HEIC to PNG on a Mac is Preview: open the HEIC image, choose File > Export, select PNG, and save the new file. You can also use FileOnTap in a browser when you want a simple no-upload workflow.

Option 1: Convert HEIC to PNG with Preview

Preview can open HEIC images on supported versions of macOS and export them in another image format. This is a good choice when you want to stay entirely within a built-in Mac app.

1. Open the HEIC image in Preview.
2. Choose File > Export.
3. Open the Format menu.
4. Select PNG.
5. Choose a filename and location, then click Save.

The original HEIC file is not replaced unless you deliberately save over it. Keeping the original is useful because the converted PNG may not preserve every metadata field or Apple-specific feature.

How to convert multiple HEIC images to PNG with Preview

Preview can also handle more than one image in the same window. Open the images together, select the images you want in the sidebar, then use the export workflow to create converted copies. This is useful when you have several photos and want a built-in Mac batch workflow.

If your files do not all appear in one Preview window, select them in Finder first and open them together with Preview.

Option 2: Convert HEIC to PNG in your browser

If you want the same workflow on Mac, Windows, and iPhone, use FileOnTap HEIC to PNG. The HEIC or HEIF file is decoded and converted in your browser instead of being uploaded to a remote conversion server.

1. Open the HEIC to PNG converter.
2. Choose or drag in a .heic or .heif file.
3. Wait for the browser-local conversion to finish.
4. Download the generated PNG.

The current FileOnTap converter processes one file at a time. It is useful when privacy and a consistent browser-based workflow matter more than batch conversion.

Can Photos on Mac export HEIC as PNG?

Yes. If the image is managed in Photos, you can export a copy and choose a compatible image format. Preview is usually simpler when the HEIC already exists as a normal file in Finder, while Photos is convenient when the image is already in your photo library.

Why would you convert HEIC to PNG on a Mac?

HEIC is efficient for photo storage, but some image editors, upload systems, and graphics workflows expect PNG. PNG stores the decoded pixels without another lossy JPEG-style encoding step, which can make it a useful intermediate format for editing or image processing.

The tradeoff is file size: photographic PNG files are often much larger than the original HEIC and larger than a comparable JPG. If broad compatibility and smaller photo files matter more than lossless decoded pixels, consider HEIC to JPG.

Do not rename .heic to .png

Changing only the filename extension does not convert the image. A file renamed from photo.heic to photo.png still contains HEIC data and may fail in software that expects a real PNG file. Use Preview, Photos, or an actual converter.

What happens to metadata?

Any HEIC-to-PNG conversion creates a new image file. Some EXIF information, depth data, or other format-specific metadata may not survive the conversion. Keep the original HEIC if metadata, Live Photo information, or archival quality matters.