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How to convert HEIC to PNG on a Mac
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
Select the HEIC photos in Finder and run Convert › Convert to PNG in FileDial, or use Preview's File > Export with PNG for single files. PNG is lossless but much bigger than HEIC, so pick it only when you need exact pixels, editing, or a tool that rejects JPG. For sharing, JPG is usually smaller.
Should it be PNG or JPG?
HEIC is the format iPhones use by default. Most people who search for a conversion want JPG, and the dedicated HEIC to JPG article covers it. PNG is the answer for a narrower set of jobs: you want to edit without further lossy compression, you are feeding an app that wants PNG, or you plan to remove the background and need a PNG anyway.
The cost is size. HEIC uses the HEVC video codec, and Wikipedia describes HEIF as designed for efficiency. A lossless PNG of the same photo can be many times larger. Do not use PNG as a space-saving format.
Convert in bulk with FileDial
Import the photos to a folder first, for example from Photos with an export or from an AirDrop. Then select them all and run one tool. Each PNG is saved beside its HEIC, and the HEIC is kept.
- Select the HEIC files in Finder.
- Hold the right Option key to open the dial.
- Choose Convert, then release on Convert › Convert to PNG.
- Review the result card, which shows the size before and after, and open the PNG copies.
Preview and Quick Actions
Preview opens HEIC. Choose File > Export, set Format to PNG and save. Apple's Preview guide lists PNG among the export formats and says you can export multiple images from one window.
Finder can do it too. Control-click an HEIC, choose Quick Actions, then More and Convert Image, and pick PNG and a size. Apple's help page gives HEIC to JPEG or PNG as its example, which makes this the quickest built-in option for a small number of files.
Metadata and location
Photos taken on an iPhone often carry GPS coordinates, camera model and date in Exif metadata. Whether a given converter preserves that data varies by tool and settings, so check before posting a PNG you made from a personal photo. If you want the file clean, chain Convert › Convert to PNG with Privacy › Remove location, or use Privacy › Remove all metadata. A FileDial recipe can chain tools so the step is not forgotten.
Colour is the other thing to watch. iPhones capture wide-colour photos tagged Display P3. If the destination expects sRGB, run Convert › Convert to sRGB on the result.
- Privacy › Remove location removes GPS and leaves pixels untouched.
- Privacy › Remove all metadata gives a copy with no metadata at all.
- Convert › Convert to sRGB makes a converted copy with an sRGB profile.
Choosing between PNG, JPG and keeping HEIC
Ask what the file will do next. If it goes to a person or an upload form, JPG is the compact universal choice and the HEIC to JPG page covers it. If it goes into an editor where you will retouch and re-save, PNG protects it from further lossy compression while you work. If it stays in your own library, keeping the HEIC is the most space-efficient choice, because Apple says the format keeps similar visual quality in less storage.
A common workflow is to keep the HEIC as the archive, make a PNG for editing, and export a JPG at the very end for sharing. FileDial's recipes can chain the steps you repeat, for instance converting and then removing location, so the sequence is the same every time and nothing is forgotten when you are in a hurry. Remember that PNG of a photograph is large, so delete working copies once you finish.
- Archive: HEIC.
- Edit: PNG.
- Share: JPG with location removed.
When FileDial is not the right tool
If only a few photos need converting, Finder's Quick Actions are quicker: Control-click, choose Quick Actions, then More, then Convert Image. There is no app to open and nothing to learn. Photos itself can also export copies in other formats, though the exact export options differ between macOS versions, so check its Export dialog.
FileDial fits when you have a large batch, when you want one gesture instead of a menu hunt, or when metadata matters and you want to chain a clean-up step. It is also useful when you do not want to import the photos into any library. A common mistake is converting thousands of photos to PNG and filling the disk. Test on ten, look at the sizes on the result card, and decide before running the rest.
No upload needed
Camera-roll photos are among the most personal files you own. FileDial converts them on the Mac, never uploads them, and works with Wi-Fi off.
Questions
Is HEIC to PNG lossless?
PNG itself is lossless, so converting does not add new loss. However, HEIC is a lossy format, so the PNG keeps whatever compression artefacts the HEIC already had. You get a faithful copy of the decoded photo, at a much larger file size.
Why are my PNG files so large?
HEIC is built for efficiency, using the HEVC codec, while PNG stores pixels without discarding data. A photograph can grow several times in size. If you only need to share the picture, convert to JPG instead, or compress the PNG afterwards.
Can I convert iPhone photos to PNG without a Mac app?
Yes. Finder's Quick Actions have Convert Image under More, and Preview exports PNG through File > Export. Both are local and free. FileDial adds a one-step dial, undo and batch handling for large folders. Quick Actions let you pick a format and size in one step, according to Apple's help page, which suits small groups of photos.
Does the PNG keep the photo's location data?
That depends on the converter. Do not assume it is gone or kept. To be safe, remove it deliberately with Privacy › Remove location or Privacy › Remove all metadata in FileDial before sharing the file anywhere public. You can verify this by opening the result in Preview and checking Tools > Show Inspector for a GPS panel.