PNG to GIF
For the places that still want a GIF — never uploaded.
How it works
Three steps, and nothing leaves your device.
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1
Drop the PNG in
It is read in the page; nothing is sent anywhere.
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2
Colours are reduced to 256
A palette is chosen to fit the picture as closely as it can.
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3
Download the GIF
A single still frame.
What the 256-colour limit does to your image
- GIF holds at most 256 colours, and this is the whole story. A palette is picked to suit your image, but a photograph or a smooth gradient contains far more than 256 shades, so you will see banding where a continuous ramp becomes visible steps. Flat graphics, line art and simple logos convert cleanly because they never had many colours to begin with.
- Transparency becomes all-or-nothing. PNG stores 256 levels of transparency; GIF stores one bit — a pixel is either fully visible or fully gone. Soft, anti-aliased edges turn hard and jagged.
- This makes a still, not an animation. One PNG in, one frame out. Building an animated GIF needs a sequence of images, which is a different job.
- It is usually a compatibility errand. Some forums, chat tools and older systems accept GIF and little else. On the open web, PNG or WebP is better in every measurable way.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my image look banded?
GIF allows only 256 colours. A photo or gradient has far more, so smooth ramps become visible steps.
What happens to soft transparent edges?
They become hard. GIF transparency is a single on/off bit per pixel.
Can I make an animated GIF?
Not from one image. This produces a single still frame.
Is my image uploaded?
No. It is converted in your browser.