Images conversion
Convert HEIC to GIF
Updated Jul 2026
HEIC is the format iPhones save photos in, and GIF is an older, universally supported image format. To convert HEIC to GIF, open the file in a converter and export it as GIF. Doing this on your own computer means the photo, along with any location data it carries, never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .gif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Animations, memes
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert HEIC to GIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert HEIC to GIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the HEIC photo you want to convert. Add one file or a whole folder at once.
- Choose GIF as the output format.
- Convert. The GIF is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
HEIC vs GIF: what actually changes
| HEIC | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Compact, efficient modern compression | Often larger, especially for photos with lots of color variation |
| Color range | Millions of colors, smooth photographic detail | Limited to 256 colors, so photos can look banded or dithered |
| Opens everywhere | No, needs a recent Apple device or plugin | Yes, GIF opens in essentially anything, even decades-old software |
| Animation | No, a single still photo | Supports multiple frames, but converting one HEIC produces a single still GIF, not a moving one |
| Transparency | No | Yes, though only fully on or off, no soft or partial edges |
| Keeps date and location (EXIF) | Yes | No, GIF doesn't have a place to store that metadata |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert HEIC to GIF when you need a photo in a format that opens on essentially any device or software, including very old systems, or when you're turning a picture into a simple graphic for a forum, chat, or site that expects GIF.
Keep the HEIC (or convert to JPG or PNG instead) if the photo's color accuracy matters, since GIF's 256-color limit will noticeably flatten and dither a typical photograph.
Why not just use an online converter?
HEIC photos from an iPhone often carry EXIF data, including the GPS coordinates of where they were taken. Send that file to an online converter and the service receives the photo and its location history before it ever gets converted. Doing the conversion on your own computer means that original file, metadata and all, never leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting HEIC to GIF lose quality?
Yes, noticeably. GIF is limited to 256 colors, so a photo that started with millions of colors will look banded or dithered once it's a GIF. It's fine for simple graphics, not ideal for photographic detail.
Will the GIF keep the photo's date and location?
No. GIF doesn't have a metadata field for EXIF data, so any date, camera, or GPS information stored in the HEIC is dropped during conversion.
Does converting a HEIC photo to GIF make it animated?
No. A single HEIC photo converts to a single, still GIF. GIF can hold animation, but that requires multiple source frames, not one photo.
Can I convert HEIC to GIF without uploading my photos?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet. You can do it with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts HEIC, GIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.