This is a small side project I built to solve a daily annoyance — and it unexpectedly became a useful productivity tool for colleagues. Here’s the technical breakdown, along with practical office tips for handling HEIC files more efficiently.
🌱 Why This Project Exists
- If you work with photos on Windows, you've probably run into this:
- You receive HEIC images from iPhone users
- Windows can't open them by default
- Online converters have limits, watermarks, ads, or require uploads
Corporate networks often block file-upload tools (security concerns)
I kept running into this in my own job. So on a weekend, I built a fully browser-based HEIC → PDF/PNG converter that:runs entirely offline
processes files inside the browser (not uploaded anywhere)
supports batch conversion
is free, unrestricted, no watermark
The tool:
👉 https://heictopng.net
I shared it with teammates and realized many office workflows became smoother. So here’s how it works under the hood — and how you can streamline your day-to-day tasks using simple file-conversion hacks.
🛠 Tech Breakdown: How It Works in the Browser
1. HEIC Decoding with Browser-Compatible Libraries
HEIC is based on HEIF + HEVC compression (H.265). Browsers don’t natively decode it yet, so I used:
- WASM-based HEIC decoder
- Canvas to reconstruct raster images
- Blob / File API for final export Pseudocode: const heicFile = input.files[0]; const decoded = await decodeHeic(heicFile); const canvas = drawToCanvas(decoded); const blob = await exportAs(blobType); All processing happens inside the browser's memory.
2. PDF Generation Without a Server
To export PDF in-browser:
- Render image → Canvas
- Use a lightweight JS PDF generator
- Embed image at native resolution
- Export via No server. No upload. No tracking.
3. Performance Optimizations
I focused on:
- lazy decoding for large HEIC sets
- web workers to prevent UI freezing -** canvas recycling** to lower memory use
- instant preview → improves perceived speed Even 20–30 images process smoothly on mid-range laptops.
🧩 Side Project Lessons Learned
1. Building tools for yourself is underrated
I made this tool for my own workflow, not for users — ironically, that’s precisely why people like it.
2. “Offline-first” is a feature now
Many devs and office teams avoid upload tools for privacy reasons.
3. People prefer tiny utilities over complex software
A single-purpose tool often outperforms complex “suite” products.
💼 Productivity Tips: Handling HEIC Files in Office Workflows
Office workers often don't know these tricks — adding them increases the utility of your post and avoids looking like an ad.
Tip 1 — Convert HEIC to PDF before sending to corporate clients
Because:
- PDFs preserve layout
- They display properly on all devices
- No risk of “Client can't open the file” emails If you use many mobile photos in reports, convert them first, then drag into Word/PowerPoint.
Tip 2 — Batch rename images for documentation
Windows shortcut:
F2 → rename first file → then press Tab to rename the next.
Combine it with batch conversion for clean report images.
Tip 3 — Paste converted PNGs directly into Office (no quality loss)
PNG preserves clarity better than JPEG.
If you’re making:
- bug reports
- product demos
- documentation
- training slides → Use PNG, not JPG.
Tip 4 — Save PDFs directly to OneDrive / SharePoint for easy collaboration
Useful workflow:
- Convert HEIC → PDF offline
- Drag into SharePoint
- Colleagues preview without downloading Minimal friction.
🚀 What’s Next?
I plan to add:
- Drag-in folder support
- HEIC metadata extraction
- Safari iOS support improvements
- Dark mode If you have ideas or run into edge cases, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
🔗 Try the Demo (Offline-capable)
https://heictopng.net
I built this mainly for my own use, but if it helps you or your teammates, that’s awesome.
Happy to answer any implementation questions!
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