Convert HEIC to ICNS on Mac
Select the HEIC files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose ICNS and press Return. FileFlip saves each ICNS next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert HEIC to ICNS with FileFlip
Select the HEIC files
In Finder or on the Desktop. One file, or a whole folder with ⌘ A.
Press ⌥ F
FileFlip opens next to the selection and lists the formats it can make from HEIC. Type “ICNS” to jump to it.
Choose ICNS and press Return
The ICNS files appear next to the originals with the same names. The HEIC files stay as they are.
HEIC and ICNS
iPhones save photos as HEIC to save space, but many websites, Windows PCs and older apps still can’t open it. ICNS is what macOS uses for app and folder icons.
What changes when you convert
- ICNS is lossless, so nothing more is lost, but it can’t bring back detail that HEIC compression already removed. Expect a bigger file.
- ICNS holds icon sizes up to 1024 × 1024 pixels, so a square source image of at least that size works best.
| Property | HEIC | ICNS |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | High Efficiency Image File Format | Apple Icon Image |
| Made by | MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) | Apple |
| Compression | Lossy (HEVC) | Usually PNG inside |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Storing photos on Apple devices | Mac app, folder and file icons |
| Opens in | Apple devices; Windows needs the HEIF and HEVC extensions; many websites don’t accept it | macOS; rarely anything else |
| File extension | .heic, .heif | .icns |
| In FileFlip | Opens and saves | Opens and saves |
Other ways on a Mac
For one file now and then you may not need FileFlip. These work with what’s already on your Mac.
Preview
Open the HEIC in Preview, choose File → Export, pick ICNS from the Format menu and click Save. If ICNS isn’t listed, hold Option while you click the Format menu. For several files, open them together, select all thumbnails in the sidebar and choose File → Export Selected Images.
Good for a few files now and then.
Terminal
The sips command converts images in place or into a new file.
sips -s format icns IMG_4021.heic \
--out IMG_4021.icnsBuilt into macOS. Use a square image; run sips --formats to check what your macOS version supports.
Questions about HEIC and ICNS
Does converting HEIC to ICNS lose quality?
ICNS is lossless, so nothing more is lost, but it can’t bring back detail that HEIC compression already removed. Expect a bigger file.
Can I convert many HEIC files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose ICNS. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
What size should the source image be?
Square, and ideally 1024 × 1024 pixels, the largest size an ICNS file holds.
Where is the ICNS file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .icns extension. The HEIC file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert ICNS back to HEIC?
Yes, FileFlip converts ICNS to HEIC as well.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. FileFlip converts files on your Mac and works with the internet turned off.
Convert a whole folder of images at once
FileFlip also handles video, audio, PDFs, documents and data files. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Coming soon for Mac