# HEIC vs PNG

> These formats are not really alternatives to each other. One is built to make photographs small; the other is built to make sure nothing changes.

Source: https://jpg-heic.com/heic-vs-png | Section: Reference | Updated: 2026-08-31

## The fundamental difference

PNG is **lossless**. Every pixel you put in comes back out identically, however many times you
 open and re-save it. HEIC is **lossy**. Its encoder discards information the eye is unlikely to
 miss, which is how it achieves such small files.

That single difference determines everything else about when to use them.

| | HEIC | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy (lossless mode exists, rarely used) | Always lossless |
| 12 MP photo | 1.6 MB | 14–22 MB |
| Screenshot, 1920×1080 | ~250 KB | ~400 KB |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Colour depth | Up to 16-bit | Up to 16-bit |
| Repeated editing | Degrades each save | Never degrades |
| Universal support | No | Yes, since the 1990s |

## It depends what is in the image

PNG's compression looks for repeating patterns and predictable rows. That works brilliantly on flat
 colour and sharp edges, and terribly on photographic noise.

 - **Photographs** — PNG is roughly ten times larger than HEIC for no visible gain. Avoid.

 - **Screenshots** — the gap narrows dramatically. PNG is a perfectly reasonable choice.

 - **Logos, icons, diagrams** — PNG wins on quality, since lossy compression puts ringing around
 every hard edge.

 - **Text on a flat background** — PNG, definitively. Lossy compression makes small text mushy.

## When converting HEIC to PNG makes sense

 - **The image is heading into an editor**
 If you will open, adjust and re-save it repeatedly, a lossless intermediate stops generation
 loss accumulating.

 - **Transparency must be preserved and WebP is not an option**
 PNG is the universally understood transparent format.

 - **A system explicitly requires PNG**
 Some print workflows, design handoffs and technical tools specify it.

 - **The image is a screenshot rather than a photograph**
 Then PNG is the right format anyway and the size penalty is small.

For everything else — camera photos being shared, emailed, uploaded or stored — JPG or WebP is the
 better target. [The PNG converter is here](https://jpg-heic.com/heic-to-png) when you need it.

 **Lossless does not mean better.** Converting a HEIC to PNG does not recover detail the HEIC
 encoder already discarded. It preserves what is there and prevents further loss. Starting from a
 lossy source, PNG is a preservation format, not a restoration one.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is PNG better quality than HEIC?**

PNG is lossless, so it preserves exactly what it is given. But converting a HEIC to PNG cannot recover detail the HEIC encoder already discarded — you get a faithful copy of a lossy image.

**Why is my PNG ten times bigger than the HEIC?**

PNG stores every pixel exactly, with no lossy compression. Photographs are close to a worst case for it, since they contain no repeating patterns for its algorithm to exploit.

**Should I convert iPhone photos to PNG?**

Rarely. JPG or WebP is almost always the better target. PNG is worth it only for transparency, repeated editing, or when a system specifically requires it.

**Which is better for screenshots, PNG or HEIC?**

PNG. Screenshots contain text and sharp edges, which lossy compression blurs. The size advantage of HEIC also shrinks considerably on this kind of content.