Images conversion
Convert GIF to HEIF
Updated Jul 2026
GIF is the simple, lossless format behind animations and memes, while HEIF is a modern, compressed format built for Apple devices. To convert, open the GIF in a converter and export it as a HEIF still image, since HEIF here holds one frame, not the animation. Doing it on your own computer keeps the file off other people's servers.
- Extension
- .gif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Animations, memes
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .heif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Apple devices
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert GIF to HEIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert GIF to HEIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the GIF file, or a whole folder of them, that you want to convert.
- Choose HEIF as the output format.
- Convert. Morphjet takes a frame from the GIF and writes the HEIF file next to your original, entirely on your own machine.
GIF vs HEIF: what actually changes
| GIF | HEIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Large once you have more than a few colors or frames | Much smaller for a comparable still image |
| Color quality | Limited to 256 colors, visible banding on photos | Full color range, no banding |
| Animation | Yes, multiple frames play back | No, only a single still frame |
| Transparency | Yes, basic on or off transparency | No |
| Compatibility | Opens on nearly anything, very old format | Best supported on Apple devices, patchy elsewhere |
| Metadata | None | Yes, can carry EXIF data |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert GIF to HEIF when you want a single frame from a GIF, like a meme or a screenshot, saved as a small, sharp still image on an Apple device.
Keep the GIF if the animation is the whole point, since converting to HEIF keeps one frame and the motion is gone for good.
Why not just use an online converter?
GIFs get passed around a lot, saved out of group chats, pulled off social feeds, screenshotted from articles. Running one through an online converter means a copy of it sits on a server you don't control while it's processed. Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so that meme or screenshot never has to leave your machine to become a HEIF.
Questions
Does converting a GIF to HEIF keep the animation?
No. HEIF is used here as a still image format, so the conversion keeps a single frame, usually the first one, and the rest of the animation is dropped.
Will the HEIF look better than the original GIF?
It won't recover detail the GIF never had, but a HEIF made from a good frame can look cleaner than the GIF itself, since it isn't limited to a 256 color palette.
Can I convert a GIF to HEIF without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. Morphjet runs the conversion on your own computer, so it doesn't need an internet connection or an account to work.
Does the HEIF keep any metadata from the GIF?
There isn't much to keep. GIFs don't store metadata like camera or location data, so the HEIF starts with a clean slate rather than carrying anything over.
Why HEIF instead of PNG or JPG for a still frame?
HEIF compresses more efficiently than JPG or PNG at a similar quality, and it's the still image format Macs and iPhones use natively, so it can be the smaller, more native choice if you're on Apple devices.
Morphjet converts GIF, HEIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.