Convert SVG to HEIC on Mac
Select the SVG 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 SVG to HEIC with FileFlip
Select the SVG 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 SVG. 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.
SVG and HEIC
Many apps, documents and upload forms only accept pixel images, not SVG. 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.
- SVG is a vector format and HEIC stores pixels, so the result has a fixed size and won’t stay sharp when enlarged.
- HEIC opens on Apple devices, but not everywhere else. Check before you send it to someone on Windows.
| Property | SVG | HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Scalable Vector Graphics | High Efficiency Image File Format |
| Made by | W3C | MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) |
| Introduced | 2001 | 2015 |
| Compression | Vector, stored as text | Lossy (HEVC) |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Logos, icons and illustrations that need to scale | Storing photos on Apple devices |
| Opens in | Every web browser and design apps such as Figma and Illustrator | Apple devices; Windows needs the HEIF and HEVC extensions; many websites don’t accept it |
| File extension | .svg | .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.
Terminal
The sips command converts images in place or into a new file.
sips -s format heic logo.svg \
--out logo.heicRecent macOS versions read SVG with sips; older ones don’t. Run sips --formats to check yours.
Questions about SVG and HEIC
Does converting SVG 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 SVG 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 SVG file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert HEIC back to SVG?
No. FileFlip opens SVG 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