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WebP to HEIC Converter

Convert WebP to HEIC in your browser. WebP files usually come from websites, Chrome's Save image as, CDNs and Android apps; 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

WebP expected · other image formats also work

Files are processed on this device. Nothing is uploaded.0 B uploaded

How to use WebP to HEIC

  1. 1

    Add your WebP files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.

  2. 2

    Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since HEIC has none.

  3. 3

    Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.

  4. 4

    Download the .heic files one at a time or together as a ZIP.

Why use Aback Images for webp 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 WebP

Both formats are lossy, so the size mostly follows the quality setting; at the default the HEIC usually lands in the same range as the WebP.

A second lossy pass

WebP is lossy already, since it stores lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L, so keep the quality at or above the default to avoid stacking a new layer of artefacts on the old one.

Processed on your device

Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.

WebP vs HEIC

What changes from WebP to HEIC

Encoding: the WebP uses lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L; 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 bits per channel in the WebP; HEIC allows 8 or 10 bits per channel, and the HEIC written here has 8 bits per channel.

Colour: RGB; lossy WebP stores colour at half resolution (4:2:0) in the WebP; HEIC supports YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones, written here as 8-bit sRGB.

Transparency: the WebP stores it as a separate alpha plane, available in lossy as well as lossless files; 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.

Animation: ANMF frame chunks, each with its own delay and blending; the HEIC holds one image, so only the first frame is converted.

Metadata: the WebP can carry EXIF, XMP and ICC chunks; HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items, but nothing is copied across.

About WebP

WebP is Google's web image format. It supports lossy and lossless compression, transparency and animation, and is typically 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality.

A WebP is a RIFF file: 'RIFF', a length, 'WEBP', then chunks. A simple lossy file is one VP8 chunk and a lossless one is VP8L; the extended VP8X header announces alpha, animation, ICC, EXIF or XMP chunks.

WebP files usually come from websites, Chrome's Save image as, CDNs and Android apps.

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 WebP to HEIC makes sense

HEIC is the better choice for storing photos on Apple devices, while WebP suits images on websites and in apps.

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

  • A lossy WebP converted to another lossy format pays twice: detail VP8 already dropped stays gone, and the new encoder drops more.
  • WebP images saved from websites are often already resized and compressed for the page, so the result cannot be sharper than that copy.
  • 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.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting WebP to HEIC lose quality?

HEIC is lossy, so detail the eye barely notices is discarded to save space. The WebP was lossy already, so keep the quality high to avoid stacking artefacts.

What happens to transparency when converting WebP to HEIC?

WebP stores transparency as a separate alpha plane, available in lossy as well as lossless files. 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.

Will my animated WebP stay animated?

No. HEIC holds a single image, so only the first frame is kept. Convert to animated WebP, APNG or GIF to keep the motion, or export every frame with the GIF Frame Extractor.

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.