GIF FORMAT
GIF Converters
Convert GIF images to other formats.
About GIF
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) supports both static and animated images with a maximum palette of 256 colors. Originally created in 1987 by CompuServe, GIF uses LZW lossless compression and binary transparency (1-bit alpha). While technically outdated for most use cases—animations are inefficient, color depth is limited, and file sizes are large—GIF remains the de facto standard for simple animated content on social platforms.
Authoritative reference: GIF89a Specification (W3C)
GIF persists primarily for animations and memes due to universal compatibility. For static images, PNG offers superior compression and color depth. For modern animations, MP4/WebM video formats deliver dramatically smaller files.
Quick Facts
- Extension
- .gif
- Developed By
- CompuServe
- Year Introduced
- 1987
- Compression
- Lossless (LZW)
- Color Depth
- 8-bit (256 colors)
- Transparency
- 1-bit (on/off)
- Animation
- Supported
- Browser Support
- Universal
Convert from GIF (4 tools)
GIF to AVIF
GIF to AVIF conversion for next-gen compression with animation and transparency support
GIF to JPG
Extract first frame from animated GIFs and convert to quality JPEG
GIF to PNG
Lossless GIF to PNG conversion with full transparency and color depth preservation
GIF to WebP
GIF to WebP conversion for modern web optimization with animation and transparency support
Convert to GIF (2 tools)
GIF Guides & Articles
How to Convert a GIF to JPG: A Practical Guide
Learn how to convert GIF to JPG for smaller files and wider compatibility. This quick guide covers single frames, animated GIFs, and batch conversions.
How to Reduce GIF Size: 5 Methods That Actually Work
Learn how to reduce GIF file size with practical methods: color reduction, frame rate optimization, lossy compression, and format conversion. Compare approaches and choose the right tool.
A Developer's Guide to the Best Image Formats for the Web
A technical guide to the best image formats for web performance. Compare JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, and SVG with practical examples and optimization trade-offs.
Answers at a Glance
Quick answers to common questions.
- Are my files secure?
- How long do you keep my files?
- What metadata do you keep?
- What happens after I drop a file?
- Why are conversions so fast?
- How do you measure performance?
- What are the exact limits for each plan?
- Can I process files in bulk?
- Why did my file fail to convert?
- Do you use my files to train AI?