PSD to HEIC Converter
Convert PSD to HEIC in your browser. PSD files usually come from Photoshop and apps that save Photoshop documents, such as Affinity Photo, GIMP, Photopea and Krita; HEIC is the better fit for storing photos on Apple devices. You get a HEIF file whose picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder runs in a browser. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
PSD expected · other image formats also work
How to use PSD to HEIC
- 1
Add your PSD files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since HEIC has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .heic files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for psd to heic
Where the HEIC goes next
HEIC opens in Apple devices, recent Android phones, and Windows with the HEIF and HEVC extensions.
HEIC next to PSD
A lossy HEIC usually comes out far smaller than the PSD, which stores raw or RLE (PackBits) channel data, ZIP in some 16 and 32-bit files.
The first lossy pass
The PSD holds 8, 16 or 32 bits per channel with nothing discarded yet. This conversion is the first lossy encode these pixels see, and hard edges and flat colour show it first.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
PSD vs HEIC
What changes from PSD to HEIC
Encoding: the PSD uses raw or RLE (PackBits) channel data, ZIP in some 16 and 32-bit files; HEIC uses lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles, and the download is a HEIF file whose picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder runs in a browser.
Bit depth: 8, 16 or 32 bits per channel in the PSD; HEIC allows 8 or 10 bits per channel, and the HEIC written here has 8 bits per channel. 16 and 32-bit documents are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
Colour: RGB, CMYK, Lab, greyscale, indexed or multichannel in the PSD; HEIC supports YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Transparency: the PSD stores it as transparent layers plus extra alpha channels; HEIC could hold it as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras, but this writer flattens it, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Other images: the PSD can hold layers, masks, adjustment layers and smart objects; only the main image is converted.
Metadata: the PSD can carry XMP, EXIF, IPTC and ICC in image resource blocks; HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items, but nothing is copied across.
About PSD
PSD is Adobe Photoshop's layered working format. It keeps layers, masks and effects, but almost nothing outside Photoshop can display it, so finished designs are exported to PNG or JPG.
A PSD has five sections: a header ('8BPS', channel count, size, depth, colour mode), colour mode data, image resources (thumbnail, ICC, XMP, resolution), layer and mask information, and finally the merged composite image that the Maximize Compatibility option saves.
PSD files usually come from Photoshop and apps that save Photoshop documents, such as Affinity Photo, GIMP, Photopea and Krita.
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.
When converting PSD to HEIC makes sense
HEIC is the better choice for storing photos on Apple devices, while PSD suits editing in Photoshop.
HEIC strengths: About half the size of JPEG; Stores depth maps, Live Photos and HDR. Drawbacks to weigh: Not supported by most websites and Windows apps; Patent-encumbered codec.
Limitations
- The merged composite is converted, so hidden layers stay hidden and visible ones are flattened together.
- Files saved with Maximize Compatibility turned off may hold no full-size composite; then only the small embedded thumbnail is available.
- The file is a valid HEIF, but its picture is JPEG-coded rather than HEVC, so apps that expect HEVC (Apple Photos, Windows' HEVC extension) may not open it.
- The picture inside is JPEG-coded, so the file is about the size of a JPG at the same quality rather than the half size of a camera HEIC.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting PSD to HEIC lose quality?
HEIC is lossy, so detail the eye barely notices is discarded to save space. 16 and 32-bit documents are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any layers.
What happens to transparency when converting PSD to HEIC?
PSD stores transparency as transparent layers plus extra alpha channels. HEIC 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.
Are PSD layers kept?
No. The flattened composite that Photoshop saves inside the file is converted, so the result looks like the PSD with all visible layers merged. Files saved without Maximize Compatibility fall back to the embedded thumbnail.
Will the HEIC open in Apple Photos?
Not always. The file is a valid HEIF container, but its picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder can run in a browser. libheif-based apps such as GIMP, darktable and ImageMagick open it; Apple Photos and Windows' HEVC extension expect HEVC and may refuse it. For an iPhone, JPG is the safer choice.
Which apps open HEIC files?
Apple devices, recent Android phones, and Windows with the HEIF and HEVC extensions. It opens in Safari on recent Apple systems; other browsers do not display it.
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.