GIF to PNG

GIF to PNG is a free tool that converts a GIF image into PNG format in your browser.

How do I convert a GIF to PNG?

The conversion happens entirely in your browser. Your GIF is never uploaded to a server, which is useful when the image contains unpublished artwork, internal diagrams or other material you would rather not send to a third-party conversion service.

What changes when GIF is converted to PNG?

GIF and PNG differ in their colour, transparency and animation capabilities.

• Colour GIF is limited to a palette of no more than 256 colours per frame. PNG can store truecolour images with millions of colours, although conversion cannot recreate colours already removed when the GIF was made.
• Transparency GIF normally treats one palette colour as fully transparent. PNG supports an alpha channel, allowing partial transparency and smoother translucent edges.
• Animation GIF can contain multiple timed frames. A PNG datastream can contain a static image or animation. An animated PNG datastream can represent multiple timed frames.
• Compression Both formats use lossless compression for the pixel data they contain. GIF uses LZW compression, while PNG uses DEFLATE compression and image filters.
• Support GIF and PNG both work in major browsers and common image software. However, websites and messaging platforms may treat animated GIFs differently from static PNG files.

Converting a GIF to PNG does not improve the underlying detail. If the GIF was created from a JPEG or reduced to a 256-colour palette, saving it in a lossless format will not restore the discarded information.

When should I use PNG instead of GIF?

Use PNG when you need a static image, lossless editing or better transparency than GIF can provide.

The conversion makes sense for interface icons, diagrams, logos, screenshots and small pieces of web artwork. For example, a static GIF logo being edited in Figma or added to a WordPress page is usually easier to handle as PNG. PNG is also suitable when you need to place an image over different background colours and retain transparent areas.

Do not replace an animated GIF with a static PNG if the movement is the part you need. Keep the GIF, use an animated PNG datastream where the receiving service accepts it, or consider a video format for longer animation.

Will the PNG file be larger than the GIF?

The PNG may be larger or smaller than the GIF, depending on the image content and output encoding, including colour type and bit depth.

A simple static GIF with a small palette can be very compact. If it becomes a truecolour PNG, a higher-bit-depth or less compact sample representation may increase the file size even though the visible image looks much the same. For screenshots, flat graphics and repeated areas of colour, PNG compression can produce a smaller file than expected.

Animated GIF and animated PNG encode frames and timing differently, so their sizes can differ substantially. There is no dependable size ratio for GIF-to-PNG conversion.

Tricky files and conversion checks

A valid GIF contains correctly encoded GIF image data. Renaming a JPEG from photo.jpg to photo.gif does not convert it and may cause an image decoder to reject the file.

• A filename such as café launch 01!.gif can contain spaces, numbers, punctuation or accented characters without changing the pixels. Browser and operating-system rules still determine how the filename is handled.
• A zero-byte file is not a valid GIF and has no image to convert.
• A damaged or incomplete GIF may fail to decode. In some software it may display only partially.
• A very large or long animated GIF can require substantial memory during browser-based GIF-to-PNG conversion because the browser has to decode image data locally. The GIF is not uploaded, but the conversion remains subject to the device's memory limits.

Frequently asked questions

Can PNG files be animated?

A PNG datastream can be static or animated. Animated PNG supports multiple frames and timing information, and modern browsers commonly display it, but some upload systems may reject it, flatten it or treat it differently from GIF.

Will converting to PNG remove the background?

No. Changing from GIF to PNG format does not identify and erase a solid background. Removing a white or coloured background during GIF-to-PNG conversion requires image editing rather than a format change.

Will comments and loop settings be kept?

The available information does not specify whether GIF comments or loop settings are retained. Animated PNG supports frame timing and looping.

Can I convert the PNG back to GIF without losing anything?

Not always. A truecolour PNG may need to be reduced to 256 colours, and partial alpha transparency may become fully transparent or fully opaque. Those changes can cause banding, rough edges or colour shifts in the new GIF.

Is PNG suitable for photographs?

PNG can store photographs without further loss, but the files are often much larger than JPEG or WebP versions. If a small static file matters more than exact pixel preservation, GIF to JPG may be a more suitable route, although JPEG does not support transparency.