PNG to GIF Converter
You need a GIF file and your artwork is a PNG. This converter creates a single-frame GIF and tries to keep the transparent background. GIF handles transparency in a simpler way than PNG, and it limits the palette, so graphics with soft shadows or many colours may look different. Here is exactly what to expect.
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How to convert PNG to GIF
- Add your PNG files by dropping them, clicking the drop zone or pasting.
- The output format is already set to GIF. Adjust quality or size if you need to.
- Press Convert and compare the original and new size for each file.
- Download each file or all of them as a ZIP.
When to convert, and when not to
- A platform or legacy program asks for GIF.
- Your PNG is a flat graphic with few colours and hard edges.
- You need a still image in the GIF format with a see-through background.
- Use PNG instead for photos, shadows or smooth gradients.
What changes
- Colours are reduced to a palette of up to 255, plus one transparent entry.
- Each pixel that is more than half see-through becomes fully transparent; the rest become fully solid.
- Soft shadows and anti-aliased edges lose their gradual fade.
- The result is a single still frame.
- Metadata is not kept and there is no quality slider.
How GIF treats transparency
PNG can store many levels of transparency, which lets a shadow fade smoothly into any background. GIF has only on or off. This converter decides pixel by pixel: if a pixel is mostly see-through it becomes transparent, and otherwise it is shown in full colour.
The effect is a hard edge that may show a faint outline of the original background colour on a page with a different colour. Test the GIF on the background where you will use it.
Which PNG files convert well
Logos, pixel art, charts and diagrams with solid colour usually convert cleanly, because a limited palette is enough for them. Photographs, glows and large gradients are the weak cases, where banding appears. If the picture is not simple graphics, try WebP for the web or keep the PNG.
The palette is chosen to fit your particular image, not a fixed set, so results differ between pictures. No dithering is applied, which keeps flat areas clean.
Size and animation
GIF has no quality control, so reduce the pixel dimensions with the resize panel if you need a smaller file. A PNG is one picture, so the GIF has one frame and does not move. Making animations needs a tool that combines several images.
Alternatives worth trying
For a graphic with soft shadows, WebP keeps the transparency levels that GIF throws away. For an exact pixel copy, stay with PNG. For a plain flat logo on a transparent background, GIF may be fine, and the result is often easy to judge at a glance.
Use GIF when a specific system calls for it. Otherwise, compare it against PNG and WebP for the same file and decide on the evidence. The size shown next to each converted file, together with a look at the edges, will usually settle the question quickly.
Checking the result
View the GIF on the background where it will be shown. Look at curved edges and any shadows. If you see a light or dark fringe, the original soft edge was blended with its old background, and a hard edge is the cost of GIF's on or off transparency.
For batch jobs, make sure every image in the group suits GIF before you start. A set of flat icons will convert cleanly, but one photograph in the same batch will stand out with visible banding. Separate the odd ones out, convert them to a different format, and keep the GIF batch limited to graphics that benefit from it.
Privacy: your files stay on your device
- The tool decodes, resizes and encodes your pictures with your browser. The files are never sent to a server.
- To check it yourself: open the browser developer tools (F12), open the Network tab, convert a file, and look for any request that carries your image. You will see none.
Frequently asked questions
Does the GIF keep a transparent background?
Yes, as a single transparent colour. Partial transparency is rounded to on or off.
Why is my shadow gone or jagged?
GIF cannot store soft transparency, so edges become hard.
How many colours does the result have?
Up to 255, plus one for transparency.
Will it animate?
No. It makes a single still frame.
Is the image uploaded?
No, the conversion stays in your browser.
Does the GIF have a quality setting?
No. Reduce the pixel size if you want a smaller file.