TIM to HEIF Converter

Turn game textures into HEIF images online for free

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up
to
Facebook Amazon Microsoft Tesla Nestle Walmart L'Oreal

Browser-Based Tool

No downloads or plugins needed — convert TIM to HEIF directly in your web browser on any operating system or device.

Server-Side Speed

Heavy lifting happens in the cloud — your device resources are untouched while TIM images are processed into HEIF format.

Simple Workflow

Upload TIM, pick HEIF, download the result — the three-step process makes converting legacy formats effortless for anyone.

How to convert TIM to HEIF

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose heif or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your heif file right afterwards

About formats

TIM (Texture Image Map) is a raster image format developed by Sony Computer Entertainment) for the original PlayStation console, released in Japan on December 3, 1994. TIM files store texture and sprite data in a format optimized for the PlayStation's GPU (the GTE/GPU subsystem), supporting 4-bit indexed color (16 colors with CLUT), 8-bit indexed color (256 colors with CLUT), 16-bit direct color (5 bits per RGB channel plus 1 semi-transparency control bit), and 24-bit true color modes. The file structure consists of a 4-byte magic number (0x10), a flag byte indicating color depth and CLUT presence, the optional CLUT (Color Look-Up Table) block containing the palette data, and the image data block containing the pixel values. Image dimensions in TIM files are specified in units of 16-bit words rather than pixels, reflecting the GPU's native memory addressing scheme — this means the width value must be interpreted differently depending on the color depth mode. TIM was part of the PSY-Q development kit used by game developers throughout the PlayStation's commercial lifespan. One advantage is direct hardware compatibility: TIM data could be transferred to the PlayStation's VRAM with minimal processing, enabling fast texture loading critical for maintaining frame rates on the console's limited 33 MHz MIPS R3000A processor. The format remains relevant in retro gaming and preservation communities, readable by tools like TIMViewer, PSXPrev, ImageMagick, and various PlayStation development and modding utilities.
Initial release: December 3, 1994
HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) is a container format for images and image sequences standardized by the Moving Picture Experts Group as ISO/IEC 23008-12, first published in 2015. HEIF is built on the ISO Base Media File Format (ISOBMFF, the same container used for MP4 video), providing a flexible structure that can hold single images, image collections, image sequences (like animations or bursts), and derived images with non-destructive editing operations. The container is codec-agnostic — while the most common implementation pairs HEIF with HEVC/H.265 compression (branded as HEIC by Apple), the standard also accommodates AV1 compression (creating the AVIF variant), H.266/VVC, and other future codecs. HEIF supports features that JPEG lacks: 10-bit and 12-bit color depth, wide color gamuts (Display P3, BT.2020), lossless compression, alpha transparency, depth maps, thumbnail images, and Exif/XMP metadata — all within a single file. Auxiliary image items can store computational photography data like depth maps, HDR gain maps, and semantic segmentation masks. One advantage is the format's future-proof architecture: by separating the container from the codec, HEIF can adopt newer, more efficient compression technologies without changing the file structure, metadata handling, or application-level APIs. The substantial compression improvement over JPEG is another core strength — HEVC-based HEIF typically achieves 40-50% file size reduction compared to JPEG at the same visual quality, beneficial for storage and bandwidth. HEIF is supported by Apple's ecosystem (iOS, macOS), Windows 10/11, Android 10+, GIMP, ImageMagick, and Adobe products.
Initial release: 2015

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert TIM to HEIF?

TIM textures are locked inside PlayStation 1 game data. Converting to HEIF lets modders, archivists, and artists work with those sprites freely.

What programs can open HEIF?

Apple Photos, Windows Photos (with codec), Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, GIMP, and most modern mobile gallery apps support HEIF.

Will I lose image quality converting TIM to HEIF?

A small amount of data is discarded during lossy HEIF encoding. For everyday viewing and sharing, the quality difference is imperceptible.

How long does TIM to HEIF conversion take?

The process is fast — cloud-based processing handles TIM to HEIF conversion in seconds for standard-sized images, even on slower connections.

Can I queue several TIM files for conversion?

Batch conversion is supported. Queue as many TIM files as you need and convert them all to HEIF in a single run — no repeating steps manually.