HEIC to HDR Converter
Convert HEIC to HDR in your browser. HEIC files usually come from iPhones and iPads since iOS 11, and many recent Android phones; HDR is the better fit for 3D lighting and environment maps. You get a Radiance RGBE (.hdr) file, with the 8-bit sRGB values converted to linear light. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
HEIC expected · other image formats also work
How to use HEIC to HDR
- 1
Add your HEIC files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since HDR has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .hdr files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for heic to hdr
Where the HDR goes next
HDR opens in Blender, Photoshop, Houdini, Unreal Engine, Unity and Affinity Photo.
HDR next to HEIC
The HDR keeps the decoded pixels without lossy compression, so expect it to be larger than the HEIC.
No new artefacts
HEIC is already lossy, since it stores lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles; the HDR keeps the decoded pixels losslessly, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
HEIC vs HDR
What changes from HEIC to HDR
Encoding: the HEIC uses lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles; HDR uses run-length encoded RGBE scanlines, and the download is a Radiance RGBE (.hdr) file, with the 8-bit sRGB values converted to linear light.
Bit depth: 8 or 10 bits per channel in the HEIC; HDR allows an 8-bit mantissa per channel sharing an 8-bit exponent (RGBE), 32 bits per pixel, and the HDR written here has RGBE, 32 bits per pixel. 10-bit HEIC photos are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
Colour: YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones in the HEIC; HDR supports linear RGB (or XYZ in the XYZE variant), written here as linear-light RGB.
Transparency: the HEIC stores it as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras; the HDR has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Other images: the HEIC can hold a thumbnail, depth map, HDR gain map and burst shots as extra items; only the main image is converted.
Metadata: the HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items; HDR can carry a text header with FORMAT, EXPOSURE and optional comments, but nothing is copied across.
About HEIC
HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones and many Android phones. It is about half the size of JPEG, but Windows, many websites and older software cannot open it without converting.
A HEIC is a HEIF file (ISO base media boxes with the brand 'heic'). iPhone photos store the picture as a grid of 512×512 HEVC tiles that the decoder stitches together, with the thumbnail, depth map and HDR gain map as further items.
HEIC files usually come from iPhones and iPads since iOS 11, and many recent Android phones.
About HDR
Radiance .hdr stores high dynamic range light values, widely used for 3D environment maps and HDRI lighting.
A Radiance file starts with '#?RADIANCE' (or '#?RGBE'), text lines such as FORMAT=32-bit_rle_rgbe and EXPOSURE, a blank line, a resolution line like '-Y 2048 +X 4096', then the scanlines.
When converting HEIC to HDR makes sense
HDR is the better choice for 3D lighting and environment maps, while HEIC suits storing photos on Apple devices.
HDR strengths: True high dynamic range; Standard for HDRI environment maps. Drawbacks to weigh: Needs tone mapping to view on normal screens.
Limitations
- iPhone photos are usually Display P3; colours are mapped to sRGB, so very saturated reds and greens can look slightly less vivid.
- No range is added: the HDR holds the 8-bit picture in linear light, and nothing in it is brighter than the original white.
- 3D software treats the file as linear light, so an ordinary photo used as an environment map may need its exposure raised to light a scene well.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting HEIC to HDR lose quality?
HDR is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the HEIC stay, but nothing new is lost. 10-bit HEIC photos are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any a thumbnail.
What happens to transparency when converting HEIC to HDR?
HEIC stores transparency as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras. HDR has no alpha channel, so transparent pixels are composited onto a solid colour, white unless you pick another. To keep transparency, convert to PNG, WebP or AVIF instead.
Why can't I open HEIC photos on Windows or websites?
HEIC uses the HEVC codec, which is patent-encumbered and not built into most browsers, Windows apps and upload forms. Converting makes the photo open where HEIC does not, and the HEIC is decoded inside your browser to do it.
Does saving as HDR make a real HDRI?
No. A real HDRI is merged from several exposures. This file holds an 8-bit image in linear light, so 3D software reads it correctly, but it has no more range than the source.
Which apps open HDR files?
Blender, Photoshop, Houdini, Unreal Engine, Unity and Affinity Photo. It does not open in web browsers.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.