HEIC to XBM Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the default photo format of iPhones. It stores photos in roughly half the space of JPG, but many programs and older systems still cannot open it directly. Convert XBM icons to PNG for viewing, or emit XBM when embedded firmware/Unix code needs a compiled-in bitmap.
Because the whole conversion happens on your device, it is instant, unlimited and genuinely private — no accounts, no watermarks, no files on anyone's server. Multiple files are converted in one go.
How to convert HEIC to XBM
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your HEIC files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.
- 2
Convert instantly
Click "Convert to XBM". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted XBM file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the HEIC format
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is the HEIF container carrying HEVC-compressed image data, and it has been the default photo format on iPhones since iOS 11. At equivalent quality it stores photos in roughly half the space of JPG, keeps 10-bit color and HDR information intact, and can hold multiple images — bursts,Live Photos pairs, even depth maps — in one file.
Its weakness is everything outside Apple's ecosystem. Windows needs an extension from the Store to preview it natively, many web services still reject the upload, and HEVC's patent licensing slowed hardware adoption on non-Apple devices. Android 9+ phones generally handle it, but the desktop web remained JPG territory for years.
+ Strengths
- ✓About half the size of JPG at the same quality
- ✓10-bit color and HDR survive the pipeline
- ✓One file can hold bursts, sequences and depth data
! Limitations
- −Windows and many web services need extras to open it
- −HEVC patent licensing complicated adoption outside Apple
- −Thumbnail and preview performance on old hardware is poor
About the XBM format
XBM is the most honest image format ever shipped: the "file" is a C source array of hex bytes, compiled straight into X11 applications as cursor and icon bitmaps. Rendered, it is 1-bit black and white — the ancestors of every pixel-art cursor you still use.
Because it compiles, XBM never died: firmware UIs, embedded icons and retro Unix tooling still want it. Converting a PNG down to XBM gives embeddable, compilable art; the other direction previews what the C array actually draws.
+ Strengths
- ✓Compiles directly into C/C++ programs
- ✓Zero-payload format — text only
- ✓Still required by embedded and Unix tooling
! Limitations
- −1-bit black & white only
- −Human-hostile representation
- −X11 bit order trips up hand-rolled decoders
Why convert HEIC to XBM?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Windows and many web services need extras to open it XBM works differently: Compiles directly into C/C++ programs If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this HEIC to XBM converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Will I lose quality converting HEIC to XBM?
No — XBM is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original HEIC file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
Will transparent areas survive the conversion to XBM?
Transparency is kept whenever XBM actually supports an alpha channel. If the target format has none (like JPG), transparent areas are flattened onto a white background — that is a property of the format, not of this tool.
What happens to EXIF data and other metadata?
Conversions here re-encode the image, and re-encoding generally does not carry the original metadata over. If the EXIF data of your HEIC files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.