Images conversion
Convert BMP to HEIC
Updated Jul 2026
BMP is an old Windows image format that stores pixels with little or no compression, so files get huge fast. To convert BMP to HEIC, open the file in a converter and export it as HEIC, which packs the same image into a fraction of the space. Doing this on your own computer means the image never has to be uploaded anywhere to get converted.
- Extension
- .bmp
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Legacy Windows images
- Transparency
- None
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert BMP to HEIC on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert BMP to HEIC
- Open Morphjet and drag in the BMP file, or a whole folder of them at once.
- Choose HEIC as the output format.
- Convert. The HEIC files are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
BMP vs HEIC: what actually changes
| BMP | HEIC | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Large, little to no compression | Small, a fraction of the BMP size |
| Quality | Lossless, exact pixels | Very good, with a small one-time loss on export |
| Opens everywhere | Mostly Windows and older software | Native on iPhone and recent Mac, limited elsewhere without conversion |
| Transparency | Rare, format support is inconsistent | No |
| Keeps metadata (EXIF) | No, BMP doesn't store it | Yes, if the source has any to carry over |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert BMP to HEIC when you're archiving old bitmap images or scans and want to shrink them down drastically without throwing away noticeable quality.
Keep the BMP original if you need every pixel exact for something like a technical drawing or a file another program expects to read pixel-for-pixel, since HEIC's export does apply a small amount of compression.
Why not just use an online converter?
BMP files often sit around from old scans, screenshots, or exports that people forget still exist on their drive. Running them through an online converter means handing each one to a stranger's server just to shrink it down. Converting on your own computer keeps every file local, so nothing about what's in those old images ever leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting BMP to HEIC lose quality?
A little. BMP stores pixels exactly with no compression, while HEIC applies a small amount of compression on export. For most photos and scans the difference isn't visible, but it isn't a pixel-perfect copy anymore.
Why is the HEIC file so much smaller than the BMP?
BMP was designed decades ago with little to no compression built in, so a photo-sized BMP can run into tens of megabytes. HEIC compresses the same image down to a small fraction of that size while keeping most of the visual quality.
Can I open a HEIC file on Windows after converting from BMP?
Recent versions of Windows can view HEIC with the right extension installed, but support is less consistent than it is on iPhone or a recent Mac. If you're sharing widely, it's worth checking the recipient's device first.
Does the BMP have any metadata that carries over?
Usually not much. BMP doesn't have a standard place to store EXIF data like date or camera info, so there's typically nothing to carry over into the HEIC beyond the image itself.
Can I convert BMP to HEIC without uploading the files?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the files right on your computer, so they never get sent over the internet. You could disconnect from wifi entirely and it would still work.
Morphjet converts BMP, HEIC, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.