How to Convert HEIC to AVIF on iPhone
Every modern iPhone saves photos as HEIC by default. HEIC is already a great format, smaller than JPG, supported across Apple devices, and rich enough to carry HDR and Portrait depth data. So why convert to AVIF?
Because AVIF is even smaller. At the same visible quality, AVIF photos are typically 20-40% smaller than HEIC. For a 30 GB photo library, that's roughly 6-12 GB you get back without deleting a single memory.
This guide shows you how to convert HEIC photos to AVIF on iPhone, what to expect from the savings, and how to keep your workflow intact.
Why Convert HEIC to AVIF?
Three real reasons:
- iCloud savings. If you pay for iCloud storage, converting your HEIC library to AVIF can drop you a tier. The 200 GB plan often becomes the 50 GB plan, sometimes the free 5 GB plan.
- Device storage. A 128 GB iPhone that's "always full" feels like a 256 GB iPhone again.
- Modern web sharing. AVIF renders correctly on every major browser, modern Mac, modern Android, and Windows 11. Sharing to a mixed audience just works.
Can iPhone Convert HEIC to AVIF on Its Own?
No. iPhone can view AVIF photos but cannot create them. There's no "Save as AVIF" option in Photos, no AVIF export from the Share Sheet, and no toggle in Camera. You need a third-party tool.
The Easiest Way: HEVCut
HEVCut is built for this exact job. It runs entirely on your phone, processes your whole library in batches, and keeps every photo's HDR and metadata intact.
- Open HEVCut and tap the Photos tab.
- Tap the gear icon to open Compression Settings.
- Change Output Format to AVIF.
- Pick a quality level. The default is fine for almost every photo.
- Filter your library by HEIC to target just the photos you want to convert.
- Tap Compress.
The new AVIF files replace the HEIC originals in Photos. iCloud syncs the smaller copies to your other devices automatically. Originals stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days as a safety net.
Convert your iPhone HEIC library to AVIF on-device. Try HEVCut free.
Try freeWhat to Expect: Real Numbers
We converted a 500-photo HEIC library to AVIF at the default quality:
| Original | Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 MB | Daylight landscape | 1.3 MB (38% smaller) |
| 1.9 MB | Indoor portrait | 1.2 MB (37% smaller) |
| 3.2 MB | Low light | 2.1 MB (34% smaller) |
| 6.4 MB | 48 MP photo | 3.8 MB (41% smaller) |
| 0.8 MB | Screenshot | 0.4 MB (50% smaller) |
Total library: 1,450 MB → 920 MB. Across a 30 GB library that's about 11 GB back.
Will HDR Survive the Conversion?
Yes. HDR photos stay HDR. The same vivid highlights and shadow detail your iPhone captured render the same way in Photos after conversion.
If you're moving photos to a platform that doesn't support HDR (older devices, older operating systems), HEVCut has a switch to flatten HDR for maximum compatibility.
Will Photos Still Work Normally?
Yes. Memories, search, Faces, Places, Albums, sharing — all of it keeps working. The Photos app doesn't care which format your files are in.
What About iCloud?
When HEVCut replaces a HEIC photo with its AVIF version, iCloud syncs the smaller AVIF to all your devices automatically. There's no extra step. See our AVIF and iCloud Photos guide for the full picture.
Should I Convert My Whole Library at Once?
You can, but it's often smarter to:
- Start with old photos. Convert anything from last year or earlier first. You'll likely never reach for them, and the savings stack up fast.
- Leave the last 30 days as HEIC. Recent photos you might share or edit benefit from the instant-save behavior of HEIC.
- Run it overnight on charge. Big batches finish while you sleep.
Common Questions
Are my HEIC originals deleted?
They move to Photos' Recently Deleted album for 30 days, which is your safety net. If you want a permanent archive, stash originals in HEVCut's Personal Vault before converting.
Will my friends and family see the AVIF photos correctly?
Modern iPhones, Macs, and Android devices all open AVIF natively. If you share to someone on older hardware, send them an exported JPG as a fallback.
Can I undo a conversion?
Yes, for 30 days. The HEIC original is in Recently Deleted. Beyond 30 days, the Personal Vault is the safer place to keep originals.
Will this affect Live Photos?
Live Photos have two parts: a still photo and a short video. AVIF handles the still part; the video part is unchanged. If you want even bigger savings, use the Live Photo Cleaner to drop the video half on Live Photos you no longer care about.
Bottom Line
iPhone makes the HEIC→AVIF conversion painful on its own (there is no built-in option). With HEVCut, it's three taps and the work runs in the background on your phone. The reward is a 30-40% smaller library, with HDR and metadata intact and your iCloud bill lower by month's end.