GIF vs WebP
WebP combines lossy or lossless 8-bit image coding with alpha and animation. It is a web delivery option when those features matter; high-precision samples and editable source structures need another working format.
Image format
GIF
Indexed-colour images and simple frame animation. GIF uses LZW compression and palette-index transparency.
Explore the format
Convert GIF to
Choose a target format for your GIF images.
JPEGJPEGGIF → JPEGWith caveatPNGPNGGIF → PNGWith caveatWebPWebPGIF → WebPWith caveatAVIFAVIFGIF → AVIFWith caveatHEICHEICGIF → HEICWith caveatHEIFHEIFGIF → HEIFWith caveat
All 21 conversions
TIFFTIFFGIF → TIFFWith caveatBMPBMPGIF → BMPWith caveatICOICOGIF → ICOWith caveatJPEG XLJPEG XLGIF → JPEG XLWith caveatJPEG 2000JPEG 2000GIF → JPEG 2000With caveatQOIQOIGIF → QOIWith caveatTGATGAGIF → TGAWith caveatPCXPCXGIF → PCXWith caveatPPMPPMGIF → PPMWith caveatPGMPGMGIF → PGMWith caveatPBMPBMGIF → PBMWith caveatPAMPAMGIF → PAMWith caveatHDRHDRGIF → HDRWith caveatEXREXRGIF → EXRWith caveatPDFPDFGIF → PDFWith caveat
Marked paths may need steps such as flattening, rasterization, tone mapping or animation loss.
Convert to GIF
Choose a source format to convert to GIF.
JPEGJPEGJPEG → GIFWith caveatPNGPNGPNG → GIFWith caveatWebPWebPWebP → GIFWith caveatAVIFAVIFAVIF → GIFWith caveatHEICHEICHEIC → GIFWith caveatHEIFHEIFHEIF → GIFWith caveat
All 36 conversions
TIFFTIFFTIFF → GIFWith caveatBMPBMPBMP → GIFWith caveatSVGSVGSVG → GIFICOICOICO → GIFWith caveatJPEG XLJPEG XLJPEG XL → GIFWith caveatJPEG 2000JPEG 2000JPEG 2000 → GIFWith caveatQOIQOIQOI → GIFWith caveatTGATGATGA → GIFWith caveatPCXPCXPCX → GIFWith caveatPPMPPMPPM → GIFWith caveatPGMPGMPGM → GIFWith caveatPBMPBMPBM → GIFWith caveatPAMPAMPAM → GIFWith caveatHDRHDRHDR → GIFWith caveatEXREXREXR → GIFWith caveatPSDPSDPSD → GIFWith caveatPDFPDFPDF → GIFWith caveatDNGDNGDNG → GIFWith caveatCanon CR2Canon CR2Canon CR2 → GIFWith caveatCanon CR3Canon CR3Canon CR3 → GIFWith caveatCanon CRWCanon CRWCanon CRW → GIFWith caveatNikon NEFNikon NEFNikon NEF → GIFWith caveatSony ARWSony ARWSony ARW → GIFWith caveatFujifilm RAFFujifilm RAFFujifilm RAF → GIFWith caveatOlympus ORFOlympus ORFOlympus ORF → GIFWith caveatPanasonic RW2Panasonic RW2Panasonic RW2 → GIFWith caveatPentax PEFPentax PEFPentax PEF → GIFWith caveatSigma X3FSigma X3FSigma X3F → GIFWith caveatKodak RAWKodak RAWKodak RAW → GIFWith caveatHasselblad 3FRHasselblad 3FRHasselblad 3FR → GIFWith caveat
Marked paths may need steps such as flattening, rasterization, tone mapping or animation loss.
About GIF
Graphics Interchange Format
CompuServe created GIF for exchanging raster graphics across systems. Images refer to colour-table entries instead of storing full RGB values at every pixel. A table contains at most 256 colours; individual frames can have different tables. This suits diagrams and small animations more readily than continuous-tone photographs.
LZW stores the indexed data losslessly. Converting full-colour artwork to that palette can still lose information or add dithering. GIF89a adds control blocks for frame delay, disposal and a transparent palette index. Transparency is binary: GIF cannot express a partly transparent edge with an alpha channel.
Use GIF for simple animated illustrations or legacy workflows that expect GIF. Inspect disposal and timing when processing multiple frames. A still export can retain one rendered frame but cannot reproduce movement, and modern alpha-capable formats are more suitable for smooth translucent artwork.
Key capabilities
LZW compression is lossless for the stored palette indices. Colour reduction before encoding is not lossless for an arbitrary RGB source.
History of GIF
GIF’s version names and Compuserve’s programming reference document the move from image interchange to controlled image sequences.
GIF compared
Different formats, different trade-offs. Choose for the image and the workflow.
GIF vs PNG
PNG preserves decoded pixels losslessly and can carry alpha. It is useful for transparent graphics and screenshots; it does not preserve editable document layers or camera sensor data, and photographic files can be large.
GIF vs AVIF
AVIF uses AV1 coding and supports alpha, image sequences and higher bit depths for HDR workflows. It is worth evaluating for final delivery; codec settings and the receiving application determine whether its additional features survive.
GIF vs JPEG
JPEG makes a compact photographic delivery file, but ordinary JPEG discards detail and has no alpha. Keep the richer source for editing and use JPEG when the receiving workflow expects an opaque photo.
GIF FAQ
What does this format store?
CompuServe created GIF for exchanging raster graphics across systems. Images refer to colour-table entries instead of storing full RGB values at every pixel. A table contains at most 256 colours; individual frames can have different tables. This suits diagrams and small animations more readily than continuous-tone photographs.
How does compression affect quality?
LZW compression is lossless for the stored palette indices. Colour reduction before encoding is not lossless for an arbitrary RGB source.
Why do transparent GIF edges look jagged?
A GIF pixel is either transparent or one palette colour. There is no fractional alpha for blending an edge with an unknown background; choose an alpha-capable format for that requirement.
What should I check before opening the file?
Check animation playback, loop extensions and frame disposal. A viewer that displays the first frame is not necessarily processing the complete animation.
What changes when I export to another format?
A still target requires selecting and compositing a frame. Animated targets need timing and disposal preserved. Converting to RGB cannot recover colours lost during palette reduction.
When is this format useful?
Use GIF for simple animated illustrations or legacy workflows that expect GIF. Inspect disposal and timing when processing multiple frames. A still export can retain one rendered frame but cannot reproduce movement, and modern alpha-capable formats are more suitable for smooth translucent artwork.