How to Convert HEIC to WEBP — Modern Format for Modern Phones

Apple switched from JPG to HEIC as the default photo format in iOS 11. HEIC files are 40–50% smaller than equivalent JPGs at the same quality. That's great for storage — but HEIC support on Windows, Android, and the web is inconsistent.

Converting HEIC to WEBP gives you the best of both worlds: smaller file size than the original JPG would be, and universal compatibility everywhere.

Why HEIC is a Problem

HEIC vs JPG:

  • HEIC files are smaller (good)
  • HEIC supports 16-bit color (good)
  • HEIC support on Windows is limited without software updates
  • HEIC support on Android varies by device
  • HEIC support on the web is essentially zero
  • Many email clients don't support HEIC attachments

When you need to share iPhone photos with anyone not on Apple devices, HEIC becomes a friction point. The recipient can't open it without additional software.

Why WEBP is the Solution

WEBP gives you:

  • Better compression than JPG (25–35% smaller)
  • Universal web support (97%+ of browsers)
  • Transparency support (unlike JPG)
  • Works on every device and platform

A converted HEIC → WEBP file will be:

  • Smaller than the original HEIC (WEBP's compression is excellent)
  • Compatible with every device
  • Web-ready without conversion

How to Convert HEIC to WEBP

  1. Open ImageConvert in your browser
  2. Upload your HEIC file
  3. Select WEBP as the output format
  4. Choose quality setting (85 is a good default for web)
  5. Click Convert & Download

The conversion is fast — HEIC files are typically smaller than equivalent JPGs before conversion, and the server-side processing handles the format translation efficiently.

HEIC → WEBP File Size Comparison

We tested the same photo across formats:

Format File size Notes
Original HEIC 1.8 MB iPhone 14 Pro, quality equivalent to ~JPG 85
JPG (quality 85) 3.2 MB Same quality as HEIC
WEBP (quality 85) 950 KB Visually identical to HEIC, 47% smaller than equivalent JPG

The WEBP is smaller than the HEIC because WEBP's compression is more efficient than HEIC's. You get better compression AND universal compatibility.

Batch Converting HEIC Photos

If you have multiple HEIC photos to convert:

  1. Select all photos at once on ImageConvert
  2. Choose WEBP as the output format
  3. Apply the same quality setting to all
  4. Download each individually or in a batch

This is the fastest way to prepare a batch of iPhone photos for web use or sharing with non-Apple users.

Tips for HEIC to WEBP

Quality setting: For most web uses, 85 is ideal. For thumbnails or high-volume pages, 75–80 is fine.

Dimensions: If these are for web, resize to the actual display size before or during conversion. A 4000×3000 photo displayed at 800×600 should be exported at 880×660 (800×1.1 for retina).

Color profile: WEBP uses sRGB, which is standard for web. No additional color management is needed.

Animation: If your HEIC is actually a Live Photo (contains animation), WEBP conversion will preserve the animation as a lossy WEBP animation file.