HEIC vs PNG: When to Convert to PNG

PNG is lossless, so why not always convert HEIC to PNG? Because a PNG photo from your iPhone is 2-3 times larger than JPG with identical visual quality. PNG shines for screenshots and graphics with transparency. JPG is for photographs.

JPG: Best for camera photos

Every photo from your iPhone should become JPG unless it has transparent areas (it will not).

• iPhone 14 portrait in HEIC: 2.8 MB
• Same photo as JPG (90% quality): 5.2 MB
• Same photo as PNG: 12-15 MB

PNG on photos is wasteful. Use JPG for every camera photo.

PNG: Best for screenshots and graphics

Screenshots are not photos. They are flat color blocks with sharp text. PNG compresses these perfectly without loss:

• Screenshot as JPG: 800 KB (has artifacts around text)
• Same screenshot as PNG: 200 KB (pixel-perfect)

PNG is also the only format that supports transparent backgrounds (alpha channel). Use PNG for anything with transparency.

When HEIC already has transparency

HEIC can store an alpha channel (transparency), but most iPhones do not create HEIC files with transparency. If yours does (rare, from computed effects like Portrait Mode with custom backgrounds):

• Converting to JPG: loses the transparency, background becomes solid color.
• Converting to PNG: preserves transparency.

Check if your file needs transparency. If yes, use PNG. If no, JPG is always smaller.

Web upload recommendations

• Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: Convert to JPG. These platforms accept PNG but strip transparency anyway.
• Website hero image (photo): JPG. Website banner (logo/graphic)? PNG.
• Email attachment: JPG for photos, PNG for screenshots. Email clients handle both.
• Resume or CV: If your photo is a headshot, JPG. If it is a logo or badge, PNG.

At-a-glance comparison

Frequently asked questions