Will GIMP layers be preserved in the HEIC?

XCF is GIMP's native project format, equivalent to PSD for Photoshop. It stores layers, channels, guides, and GIMP-specific features in an open format. XCF files are not viewable without GIMP or a compatible application. Converting XCF to HEIC flattens all layers into a single composite image and produces a compact, HEVC-compressed file at roughly half the size of an equivalent JPG export.

This is a natural export step for GIMP users in the Apple ecosystem: complete your work in XCF format to preserve editability, then export to HEIC for storage in Apple Photos or iCloud. If the image is destined for the web or non-Apple recipients, export to JPG or PNG instead - HEIC won't display in browsers or on systems without an HEVC codec.

Reasons to convert XCF to HEIC usually come down to compatibility, file-size, or specific feature requirements. Common situations:

• An app or platform only accepts HEIC uploads.
• You need a feature unique to HEIC (e.g. transparency, vector scaling, animation, multi-page pages, etc.) that XCF doesn't provide.
• You're optimising file size — modern formats often produce smaller files than the older format you started with.
• You need a single archival format across a project so files behave consistently in the same viewer.

1. Open the XCF → HEIC tool on heic.now.
2. Drag your XCF file onto the drop zone, or click Select files. You can drop a whole folder of files at once.
3. The output is fixed to HEIC. If the format supports extra options (page size, transparency background, quality, EXIF stripping), tweak them in the right-hand panel.
4. Click Convert. The job runs on our server and finishes in a few seconds for typical photos.
5. Download the result. Files stay in storage for 24 hours and are then permanently deleted.

The entire flow is free for the first 10 jobs per day with no signup required. A free account doubles that quota; a premium plan removes the limit entirely.

• Keep the original XCF file as your working copy - The HEIC cannot be converted back to a layered XCF.
• Flatten all layers in GIMP (Image → Flatten Image) before exporting if you want to verify the composite appearance before conversion.