Short answer
Do not rely on a site to handle your HEIC. Convert to JPG (or WebP) on your device first, then upload. WordPress has a server-side conversion feature that works only under certain conditions. For Shopify, check its current help pages for what it accepts.
WordPress
The WordPress core team’s developer note Automatic conversion of HEIC images to JPEG in WordPress 6.7 says, in summary:
- From WordPress 6.7, HEIC uploads are converted to JPEG on the server when possible, so you can view them in the admin and use them in posts regardless of the visitor’s browser support.
- The note gives the reason: browser support for HEIC is low while HEIC images are common, as Apple devices use it by default.
- The original HEIC can be downloaded from the attachment page.
- Conversion happens only if the server has an Imagick build that supports HEIC. You can check under Tools, Site Health, Info, Media Handling, in the ImageMagick supported file formats list.
- If conversion is not possible, a warning asks the user to convert the image manually. The note says that was the default behaviour before 6.7.
- The conversion can be disabled using the
image_editor_output_formatfilter.
Comments on that post also discuss why this is done on the server: a client-side approach was said to be technically possible but to run into a licensing issue with the library used (the open source libheif implementation), a point the commenters raised. That is a discussion, not a policy statement; read the thread yourself if it matters to you. For the wider licensing background, see the Via LA HEVC/VVC licensing page.
What this means for you
- On a host with Imagick HEIC support and WordPress 6.7 or later, an uploaded HEIC may become a JPEG for you. You do not control the quality or the colour handling, and the note does not specify them.
- On any other host, an upload may fail or give a warning.
- If you want predictable results, convert first. You decide quality, colour profile and metadata.
Shopify
Shopify’s accepted file types, size limits and pixel limits can change, so look up the current image requirements in Shopify’s help centre before you plan a catalogue upload. A few general habits do not depend on any platform:
- Upload a format your platform explicitly lists. JPG and PNG are listed as widely supported in MDN’s image format guide, but that is about browsers, not about Shopify.
- Resize to the dimensions the store actually shows, and keep the originals.
- Remove location data from product photos you took on a phone.
Convert before you upload
Use the HEIC to JPG converter for broad compatibility, or HEIC to WebP if your platform and theme accept WebP. MDN says WebP has broad support in the latest major browsers but recommends a JPEG or PNG fallback; the live Can I use WebP table is the place for current numbers. For a whole product shoot, use the batch converter.
For file size limits, HEIC to target size searches for a quality that fits, and the upload-ready image tool is built for upload specs. See also reducing photo size.
Privacy and metadata
Product and listing photos shot at home can embed GPS. In FromHEIC, GPS is not written to converted files unless you tick its separate checkbox. If you keep “date, camera and settings” for your own records, GPS still stays out unless chosen. See metadata and GPS.
Colour
Product colour matters. FromHEIC converts to sRGB by default, which is what a web storefront generally expects, and which keeps the colours consistent across browsers. The wide-gamut option is for colour-managed workflows. See HDR and Display P3.
Checklist
- Check your host’s HEIC support (WordPress: Site Health).
- Convert to JPG or WebP before upload for control.
- Resize and compress to your theme’s needs.
- Strip GPS.
- Keep the HEIC originals.
- For Shopify, read the vendor’s current help pages; we have not verified them.
For a deeper look at the library used for decoding, see libheif, and for format basics see what is HEIC.