Convert PSD to HEIC on Mac
Select the PSD files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose HEIC and press Return. FileFlip saves each HEIC next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert PSD to HEIC with FileFlip
Select the PSD 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 PSD. Type “HEIC” to jump to it.
Choose HEIC and press Return
The HEIC files appear next to the originals. To make them smaller first, press ⇥ and lower the quality or size.
PSD and HEIC
Most people and websites can’t open a Photoshop file, so it has to be flattened into a regular image to share. HEIC keeps photos small on Apple devices, which helps when storage is tight.
What changes when you convert
- HEIC is lossy: the file gets much smaller and some fine detail is discarded. At high quality settings the difference is hard to notice.
- The layers are flattened into a single image.
- HEIC opens on Apple devices, but not everywhere else. Check before you send it to someone on Windows.
| Property | PSD | HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Photoshop Document | High Efficiency Image File Format |
| Made by | Adobe | MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) |
| Introduced | 1990 | 2015 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy (HEVC) |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Editing in Photoshop | Storing photos on Apple devices |
| Opens in | Photoshop and some other editors; Preview and Quick Look show a flattened image | Apple devices; Windows needs the HEIF and HEVC extensions; many websites don’t accept it |
| File extension | .psd | .heic, .heif |
| In FileFlip | Opens | 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 PSD in Preview, choose File → Export, pick HEIC from the Format menu and click Save. 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 heic design.psd \
--out design.heicBuilt into macOS and good for scripts. Run sips --formats to see what your macOS version can read and write.
Questions about PSD and HEIC
Does converting PSD to HEIC lose quality?
HEIC is lossy: the file gets much smaller and some fine detail is discarded. At high quality settings the difference is hard to notice.
Can I convert many PSD files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose HEIC. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
Where is the HEIC file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .heic extension. The PSD file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert HEIC back to PSD?
No. FileFlip opens PSD files but doesn’t save them.
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