Images conversion
Convert HEIC to HEIF
Updated Jul 2026
HEIC is Apple's own flavor of the broader HEIF image standard, and the two are close cousins built on the same compression. To convert HEIC to HEIF, open the file in a converter and export it with the .heif extension. Doing this on your own computer means the photo and its metadata never leave your machine.
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .heif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Apple devices
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert HEIC to HEIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert HEIC to HEIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the HEIC photos you want to convert. Add one file or a whole folder at once.
- Choose HEIF as the output format.
- Convert. The HEIF files are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
HEIC vs HEIF: what actually changes
| HEIC | HEIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Compact, HEVC-based compression | About the same, no meaningful change |
| Quality | High, modern compression | Same, this isn't a re-encode to a different codec |
| Recognized by | .heic, the default on iPhone | .heif, expected by some non-Apple software and devices |
| Opens on Apple devices | Yes, natively | Yes, natively |
| Keeps date and location (EXIF) | Yes | Yes, unless you strip it |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert HEIC to HEIF when a program or device refuses to open a .heic file but says it supports HEIF, since renaming the extension alone usually isn't enough and the file needs to be repackaged properly.
If you're staying inside Apple's own apps like Photos or Preview on a Mac or iPhone, there's no reason to convert, since those already open HEIC just fine.
Why not just use an online converter?
HEIC photos carry EXIF metadata, including the exact GPS location where the shot was taken, and that data carries straight through to a HEIF file too. Sending the photo through an online converter just to change its extension means a stranger's server gets that location history along with it. Converting on your own computer keeps the file, and everything attached to it, on your machine the whole time.
Questions
What's actually different between HEIC and HEIF?
HEIC is Apple's specific implementation of the broader HEIF image standard, and they share the same underlying compression. Converting between them is mostly about the file extension and packaging, not the image data itself.
Does converting HEIC to HEIF lose quality?
Little to none. Because the two formats are so closely related, this isn't like converting to JPG, where you'd see a real one-time quality drop.
Will the HEIF file keep my photo's date and location?
Yes. The EXIF metadata, including GPS location and timestamp, carries over unless you deliberately strip it.
Why would I ever need a HEIF file instead of HEIC?
Some non-Apple software and devices check for the .heif extension specifically, even though the technology is nearly identical. If a program won't open your .heic file, converting it to .heif is often enough to fix that.
Can this be done without uploading my photos anywhere?
Yes. Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it and its metadata never travel over the internet.
Morphjet converts HEIC, HEIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.