Free online AVIF to HEIC converter

Some Apple-focused photo workflows and upload systems accept HEIC files but reject AVIF. Convert only the copy required by that system, and retain the AVIF original because the conversion re-encodes the image.

What AVIF is

AVIF is an image format that stores still images or image sequences encoded with the AV1 codec in an ISO Base Media File Format container. Web publishers, browsers, image-optimization pipelines, and graphics software use AVIF because it can deliver smaller files than JPEG at similar visual quality.

AVIF supports lossy or lossless encoding, alpha transparency, wide-gamut color, HDR, and animation. Modern browsers generally support it, but support is less consistent in older desktop software, mobile apps, asset-management systems, and photo-upload portals.

What HEIC is

HEIC is the common filename extension for HEIF image files, most often containing images encoded with HEVC/H.265. Apple uses HEIC as its standard high-efficiency photo format on iPhone, iPad, and macOS devices.

Compared with JPEG, HEIC can store high-quality photographs at smaller sizes and can carry metadata, color profiles, image sequences, depth data, and alpha information where the encoder and receiving application support those features. Its main advantage over AVIF is compatibility with Apple-oriented workflows that specifically expect HEIC.

Convert the file

For one or a few files, use the converter on 101convert.com: select the AVIF source file, select HEIC as the output format, start the conversion, and download the HEIC result. It can be used free without installing software.

For local batch work, ImageMagick can read AVIF and write HEIC when its installed build includes libheif and an HEVC encoder. Check available format support with magick -list format; look for AVIF, HEIC, or HEIF. Convert one file with:

magick input.avif -quality 90 output.heic

On macOS or Linux, convert all AVIF files in the current folder with:

for f in *.avif; do magick "$f" -quality 90 "${f%.avif}.heic"; done

On Windows PowerShell:

Get-ChildItem *.avif | ForEach-Object { magick $_.FullName -quality 90 ($_.BaseName + '.heic') }

GIMP can also export HEIC when its installed HEIF support includes HEIC encoding: open the AVIF file, choose File → Export As, enter a filename ending in .heic, set the export quality, and export. If HEIC is absent from the export formats, the GIMP or libheif build cannot write it.

Quality and compatibility limits

The conversion decodes AV1 image data and encodes a new HEVC image; it does not preserve the original AVIF compression. Use quality 90–95 for photographs when visual fidelity matters more than file size, and avoid repeatedly converting between lossy formats.

A still image, dimensions, orientation, ICC profile, and basic EXIF metadata may transfer, but results depend on the converter. Check output carefully when the source has transparency, HDR, animation, multiple frames, depth maps, gain maps, or extensive metadata: many HEIC encoders write one SDR still image and may omit unsupported auxiliary data.

HEIC is well supported on current Apple platforms, but it is not universally supported by Windows installations, Android apps, web browsers, and older software. If the receiving system does not explicitly require HEIC, JPEG is usually the safer choice for photographic sharing and PNG for images requiring reliable transparency.