# HEIC to STL converter straight from your iPhone

> iPhones save photos as HEIC, and most converters choke on it. PrintPal does not: drop the HEIC in, it is converted in your browser, and the AI turns your photo into a watertight STL.

Page: https://printpal.io/convert/heic-to-stl
Updated: 2026-11-12
Try it: https://printpal.io/convert/heic-to-stl (upload an image; the free plan needs an account)

HEIC is Apple's name for HEIF images compressed with HEVC, the default photo format on iPhone since iOS 11. It stores a photo at roughly half the size of a JPG of similar quality, but Windows, many web apps and nearly every image-to-STL tool cannot open it.

PrintPal converts HEIC to a high-quality JPEG inside your browser and then runs it through the same image-to-3D pipeline as any other photo. On the iPhone itself you can also tap the upload box in Safari and choose a photo from your library; iOS hands it over as a JPEG automatically.

## How to convert HEIC to STL

1. **Pick the photo.** On a computer, drop the .heic file in. On an iPhone, tap the box and choose from Photos.
2. **Sign in or create a free account.** The converted photo is carried through sign-up.
3. **Generate.** About 30 to 60 seconds at Draft quality.
4. **Download the STL.** Send it to your slicer, or AirDrop it to the computer that runs your printer.

## Things to know

- **Live Photos and bursts:** Only the still key frame is used. Pick the sharpest frame in Photos first if it matters.
- **Portrait mode is fine:** Background blur actually helps isolate the subject. The depth map is not used; the AI infers depth from the image.
- **Skip filters:** Strong filters and heavy edits change shading the AI reads as shape. Upload the unedited original.
- **Prefer JPG on your phone?:** Settings, Camera, Formats, Most Compatible makes the iPhone save JPG instead of HEIC.

## HEIC at a glance (High Efficiency Image Container (HEIF + HEVC))

- **Type:** Raster, lossy (HEVC)
- **Transparency:** Rarely used
- **Typical source:** iPhone and iPad camera (default since iOS 11)
- **Watch out for:** Windows and most web tools cannot open it
- **Conversion in the conversion:** Turned into a high-quality JPEG in your browser before upload.
- **Live Photos in the conversion:** The still frame is used.
- **Portrait depth in the conversion:** Not used; the AI infers depth from the image itself.

## STL at a glance (Stereolithography (Standard Triangle Language))

- **Stores:** Triangle geometry only
- **Color:** No
- **Units:** None; slicers assume millimetres
- **Size (our 1M-triangle test):** 49.9 MB binary, 303 MB ASCII
- **Opens in:** Every slicer, CAD tool and Blender
- **PrintPal plan:** Free and up

### After you download the STL

- Import it into Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer or Cura and set the size in millimetres. STL has no units, so PrintPal scales tiny models up to at least 80 mm on the longest side; resize to taste.
- Lay the flattest side on the bed, or use the slicer's auto-orient.
- Turn on tree supports for overhangs steeper than about 45 degrees, such as chins, ears and arms.
- Keep walls and small features at least 0.8 mm thick (two perimeters on a 0.4 mm nozzle) so detail survives.
- Printing in resin? Hollow it with about 2 mm walls and add drain holes.
- If the slicer flags errors, run the file through the free [mesh repair tool](https://printpal.io/tools/mesh-repair).

## Same model, every format (measured)

Same 998,810-triangle knight exported with trimesh; the GLB is the download as it came from PrintPal. The 3MF holds geometry only; a painted multi-color 3MF adds a little for the color data.

| Format | File size | Color | Units | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL (binary) | 49.9 MB | No | None (slicers assume mm) | Any slicer |
| STL (ASCII) | 303 MB | No | None | Legacy CAD; avoid |
| OBJ + MTL + texture | 84.9 MB | Texture or vertex colors | None | Blender, sculpting |
| GLB (with textures) | 40.5 MB | Yes, PBR textures | Metres | Web, AR, games |
| 3MF (zipped) | 21.0 MB | Yes, per triangle | Millimetres | Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer |
| PLY (binary) | 27.3 MB | Vertex colors | None | Scans, point clouds |

## Real example

The knight mini model shown on the page was generated by PrintPal from knight.png (1024 px). Raw output: 998,810 triangles, one watertight body with consistent winding. Web preview: 59,918 triangles, 403 KB GLB.

## FAQ

### Do I need to convert HEIC to JPG first?

No. PrintPal converts it in your browser. You can drop a .heic or .heif file straight into the upload box.

### Where does the HEIC conversion happen?

In your browser, before upload. The converted image is uploaded only when you press Generate, the same as any other photo.

### Does PrintPal use the Portrait mode depth data?

No. The AI builds depth from the picture itself, so any iPhone photo works, with or without Portrait mode.

### Can I do the whole thing on my iPhone?

Yes. The upload, sign-up, generation and download all work in Safari on iPhone and iPad.

### Is HEIC to STL free?

Yes: 10 generations a month on the Free plan, with STL and OBJ downloads.

### How long does a conversion take?

Draft quality usually finishes in 30 to 60 seconds. Refined and Production take longer because they build more detail, and Pro generations run on a priority queue.

### Can I sell prints of the models I make?

Yes, on Pro and Studio, which include commercial rights for prints and digital files. The Free plan is for personal use. You also need the rights to the image you upload, so stick to your own photos and artwork or images you have permission to use.

## Related conversions

- [PNG to STL](https://printpal.io/convert/png-to-stl): Convert a PNG into a watertight, print-ready STL with AI. Real 3D depth instead of a flat extrusion, transparent backgrounds supported. Free plan.
- [JPG to STL](https://printpal.io/convert/jpg-to-stl): Convert a JPG or JPEG photo into a print-ready STL with AI. Builds the full 3D shape from one photo and repairs the mesh. Works with phone photos. Free plan.
- [WebP to STL](https://printpal.io/convert/webp-to-stl): Convert WebP images to print-ready STL files with AI. Works with images saved from websites and online stores, keeps transparency, repairs the mesh. Free plan.
- [SVG to STL](https://printpal.io/convert/svg-to-stl): Convert SVG to STL two ways: extrude your vector free in the browser to an exact depth in mm, or let AI turn SVG artwork into a full 3D model.
- [Image to STL](https://printpal.io/convert/image-to-stl): Turn any image, photo or picture into a print-ready STL with AI. PNG, JPG, WebP, HEIC and SVG supported. Watertight mesh in about a minute. Free plan.
- [PNG to OBJ](https://printpal.io/convert/png-to-obj): Convert a PNG into an OBJ 3D model with AI: real volume, not a textured flat plane. Open it in Blender, Maya or any slicer. OBJ export on the free plan.
- [PNG to GLB](https://printpal.io/convert/png-to-glb): Convert a PNG into a full-color GLB (binary glTF) 3D model with AI. Transparent PNGs become clean textured meshes for web, AR, Blender and game engines.
- [PNG to 3MF](https://printpal.io/convert/png-to-3mf): Convert a PNG into a 3MF for Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer. AI builds a full 3D model, then splits its colors into 2 to 8 filaments. Single-color 3MF free.

## Learn more

- [Photographing objects for 3D](https://printpal.io/wiki/photographing-objects-for-3d-scanning): Light, angle and background tips for better reconstructions.
- [Image-to-3D best practices](https://printpal.io/wiki/image-to-3d-best-practices): What makes a source image convert well, with examples.
- [Preparing AI models for printing](https://printpal.io/wiki/preparing-ai-models-for-3d-printing): Scale, orientation, repair and supports for generated meshes.

- All image to 3D conversions: https://printpal.io/image-to-3d
- PrintPal for LLMs: https://printpal.io/llms.txt