Convert PNG to GIF

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What happens when you convert PNG to GIF?

Animation-capable destination

Still image output. Animated files use only the first frame; animation is not preserved.

GIF palette & alpha limits

Still GIF, up to 256 colours. Alpha below 50% becomes transparent; other pixels become opaque.

HDR to SDR

HDR is rendered to SDR using exposure and Reinhard tone mapping.

PNG

Source

PNG

Portable Network Graphics

Compression: LosslessTransparency: YesMetadata: Exif, ICC, Text

Lossless raster images with precise edges and optional transparency. The PNG standard also defines APNG animation.

Explore PNG format →

GIF

Target

GIF

Graphics Interchange Format

Compression: LosslessTransparency: YesMetadata: Comments, Application extensions

Indexed-colour images and simple frame animation. GIF uses LZW compression and palette-index transparency.

Explore GIF format →

Is PNG → GIF right for you?

Good choice when

GIF fits your delivery use: Simple palette animations.
Your destination supports the required animation variant.
A limited palette and binary transparency are acceptable.
You need an SDR delivery copy and can review its tone mapping.

Probably not when

You require guaranteed animation transfer from the unavailable converter.
You need smooth photographic gradients or partial transparency.
You need the original HDR range for relighting or grading.
You require identical samples without a defined colour and precision policy.

Conversion considerations

PNG and GIF can represent image animation, but their frame structures are not interchangeable. Retaining motion requires sequence decoding, compositing, timing and loop mapping plus an animation-aware encoder. No such transfer is implemented; a still-only pipeline would lose the sequence.
GIF uses at most 256 colours per GIF colour table and a transparent palette index rather than partial alpha. Richer colours and translucent edges need quantisation or compositing. Palette choice and dithering depend on the future engine; lossless GIF compression does not reverse palette reduction.
If HDR source content is exported through an SDR representation, it needs a display rendering. Values outside the output range require tone mapping, scaling or clipping; brightness relationships can change. Tone mapping, exposure and colour handling depend on the future engine. Renaming or lossless compression cannot preserve out-of-range values.

PNG to GIF conversion details

Animation-capable destination: Still image output. Animated files use only the first frame; animation is not preserved.
GIF palette & alpha limits: Still GIF, up to 256 colours. Alpha below 50% becomes transparent; other pixels become opaque.
HDR to SDR: HDR is rendered to SDR using exposure and Reinhard tone mapping.
Sample precision & colour: Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.
Metadata & colour: Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.
Compression: PNG: Lossless → GIF: Lossless PNG: PNG compression is lossless. Palette conversion, resizing or reducing bit depth before encoding can still discard information. Animation is the APNG extension included in the third edition. GIF: LZW compression is lossless for the stored palette indices. Colour reduction before encoding is not lossless for an arbitrary RGB source.
Transparency: Transparency is replaced with white by default. Change the background in Advanced options.
Animation: Still image output. Animated files use only the first frame; animation is not preserved.
Colour depth: PNG: 1–16 bits/sample → GIF: Up to 256 colours/table
HDR: PNG: Third-edition signalling
Dimensions: Rendered image dimensions are retained within the converter limits; this tool does not offer resizing. Orientation handling depends on the source decoder.
Metadata: Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.

Common questions

Can the animation be transferred between formats?

Still image output. Animated files use only the first frame; animation is not preserved.

Why can GIF lose colours despite lossless compression?

Still GIF, up to 256 colours. Alpha below 50% becomes transparent; other pixels become opaque.

How will HDR brightness be mapped?

HDR is rendered to SDR using exposure and Reinhard tone mapping.

Are bit depth and colour values guaranteed to match?

Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.

Will metadata and colour profiles be retained?