One‑Click HEIC‑to‑PNG Converter: A Free Automator Workflow for macOS

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon, and I was scrolling through my iPhone’s camera roll, trying to share a handful of pictures with a friend who still uses Windows. The moment I hit share, the dreaded "HEIC format not supported" warning popped up. I sighed, opened my Mac, and stared at a folder of tiny, invisible‑to‑most‑apps files. I could have dragged each one into an online converter, but that felt like a waste of time and bandwidth.

That night I promised myself I’d find a way to turn a whole batch of HEICs into PNGs with a single click. The solution turned out to be right on my Mac – Automator. Below is the exact workflow I built, plus a few personal tweaks that made the whole process feel buttery smooth.

Why I Needed a One‑Click Converter

When I first moved from iOS to macOS, I thought the two systems would speak the same language. Spoiler: they don’t. HEIC is great for storage, but almost every web app, older photo editor, or Windows PC still expects JPEG or PNG. I kept a folder of event photos in HEIC because the iPhone saved space, yet every time I wanted to print a picture or email it, I was forced to convert it manually. The frustration grew each time I repeated the same three‑step drag‑drop on a website. I wanted a solution that lived on my Mac, cost nothing, and didn’t require me to open Terminal every time.

Setting Up Automator

If you’ve never opened Automator, you’re in for a treat. It’s basically a visual macro recorder that ships with every macOS version. Here’s how I got started:

1. Open Automator from your Applications folder.
2. Choose "Workflow" as the document type – this keeps the tool lightweight and easy to run from the Finder.
3. Save the blank workflow somewhere handy, like ~/Documents/Automator Workflows/HEIC‑to‑PNG.workflow.

I named it HEIC‑to‑PNG (One‑Click) because I love descriptive file names that tell me exactly what they do without opening them.

Building the Workflow Step‑by‑Step

Below is the exact sequence of actions I added. Feel free to copy‑paste the names; Automator will suggest them as you type.

1. Ask for Finder Items – This pops up a dialog where you can select a folder or multiple files. Set Type to Images and check Allow Multiple Selection.
2. Copy Finder Items – I like to keep the original HEIC files untouched, so this action copies them to a temporary folder (e.g., ~/Desktop/HEIC‑Temp).
3. Run Shell Script – This is the heart of the conversion. Set Shell to /bin/bash, Pass input to as arguments, and paste the following script:

   for f in "$@"
   do
     # Strip the .heic extension and add .png
     out="${f%.*}.png"
     # Use sips (built‑in image processor) to convert
     sips -s format png "$f" --out "$out"
   done
   

   Why sips? It’s native to macOS, fast, and doesn’t require Homebrew.
4. Move Finder Items – Move the newly created PNG files back to the original folder (or wherever you prefer). I usually set the destination to the folder I originally chose in step 1.
5. Reveal Finder Items – This final touch opens a Finder window showing the converted PNGs, so you can verify everything at a glance.

Once the workflow is saved, you can double‑click it from Finder, or even drag the workflow onto the Dock for instant access.

Tip: If you frequently convert photos from your iPhone’s DCIM folder, add a Folder Action to the workflow and attach it to that folder. Every new HEIC that appears will be auto‑converted without you lifting a finger.

Running It on Your Library

Here’s how I typically use the workflow on a real project:

• I connect my iPhone, open the Photos app, and export a selection as Original Files (which preserves the HEIC format).
• I drop the exported folder onto the Automator workflow icon. The dialog appears; I select the folder and click Choose.
• Within seconds, a new Finder window pops up showing the PNG versions, ready to be uploaded to Instagram, attached to an email, or printed.

The whole process feels like magic because Automator handles the heavy lifting while sips does the conversion under the hood. No internet, no third‑party apps, just pure macOS power.

FAQ

Q: Do I need any extra software to run this workflow? A: Nope. Everything you need – Automator and the sips command – ships with macOS out of the box.

Q: Will this preserve transparency and metadata? A: PNG output keeps transparency if the source image has an alpha channel, and sips copies most EXIF data (date, location, camera model). If you need full metadata fidelity, consider a dedicated tool like exiftool after conversion.

Q: Can I convert other formats, like RAW to JPEG, with the same workflow? A: Absolutely. Just change the -s format argument in the shell script to the desired output type (e.g., jpeg). You can also add a Filter Finder Items action before the script to target specific extensions.

Final Thoughts

I still remember the first time I dragged a single HEIC into Preview, clicked Export, and saved it as PNG. It felt like a chore. Now, with this Automator workflow, I’m able to turn a whole vacation album into PNGs while sipping coffee, and the whole thing takes less time than it takes to brew the second cup.

If you’ve ever been stuck with HEIC files that refuse to cooperate, give this workflow a try. It’s free, it’s fast, and it lives right on your Mac – exactly where it should. And hey, if you tweak it for your own quirks, share the version you end up with in the comments. I love seeing how fellow Mac fans personalize these tiny scripts.

Happy converting!