iformat

Free Online GIF Maker

Make a GIF from your images online for free. Turn PNG or JPG images into a GIF, fast, secure, no watermark, no signup.

Drop PNG files here
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Up to 50 MB per file. Sign up free to convert files up to 100 MB.

PNG to GIF: lossless to palette-based

PNG supports millions of colors (24-bit + alpha) while GIF is limited to 256 colors per frame with 1-bit transparency. The conversion quantizes the PNG's full color space down to 256 colors using median-cut or octree algorithms, maps transparent pixels to GIF's binary transparency (fully transparent or fully opaque, no semi-transparency), and applies LZW compression. Photographs lose visible quality; simple graphics with few colors convert cleanly.

Convert PNG to GIF for simple graphics, logos, or icons that need to display in contexts requiring GIF format. For static images, PNG is almost always better, GIF's only advantage is its universal support for simple animations. This conversion is rarely the right choice for photographic content.

PNG vs GIF: Side-by-side

Technical comparison of the two formats, useful for deciding which to use, or for confirming what changes during conversion.

Property PNG GIF
Full name Portable Network Graphics Graphics Interchange Format
Year introduced 1996 1987
Developer / standard body PNG Development Group / W3C CompuServe
MIME type image/png image/gif
File extension .png .gif
Compression Lossless (DEFLATE) Lossless (LZW)
Color / data depth 24-bit truecolor + 8-bit alpha 8-bit indexed (256 colors)
Max dimensions / size 2,147,483,647 × 2,147,483,647 px 65,535 × 65,535 px
Transparency Yes Yes
Animation APNG extension only Yes
Standard / specification W3C / ISO/IEC 15948 GIF89a (CompuServe)
Best for Logos, screenshots, graphics with transparency or sharp edges Short animations, simple graphics with limited colors

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert PNG to GIF?

Upload the PNG file and choose GIF as the output format. The conversion takes a few seconds. No account is required and the output carries no watermark. Batches download either one file at a time or as a single ZIP.

Can I convert PNG to GIF without losing quality?

GIF is an 8-bit format limited to 256 colours. Converting to a lossless target such as PNG, TIFF or BMP preserves every pixel exactly. Converting to a lossy one such as JPG or WebP re-encodes the image, and iFormat uses a high default quality so the difference is invisible at normal viewing size. For the sharpest result, always convert from the highest-quality source you have.

What is PNG?

PNG is a lossless format with transparency support, typically used for logos, screenshots, and graphics with sharp edges. Converting it to GIF produces a file that opens on systems without PNG support.

PNG vs GIF - which format should I use?

PNG is a lossless format with transparency support best for logos, screenshots, and graphics with sharp edges. GIF is an 8-bit format limited to 256 colours best for simple animations and low-colour graphics. Choose GIF when the site or application you are submitting to asks for it, or when you need animation and support in almost any viewer.

How do I open PNG files?

On Windows: Photos, or any browser. On a Mac: Preview, or any browser. Universally supported. PNG also carries transparency, which is why screenshots and logos use it.

PNG vs GIF - which format should I use?

PNG is a lossless format with transparency support best for logos, screenshots, and graphics with sharp edges. GIF is an 8-bit format limited to 256 colours best for simple animations and low-colour graphics. Use GIF when a website, form, or app requires it, or when you need animation and support in almost any viewer.

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Image guides and fixes

How to Compress WebP Images: Quality Settings and Best Practices WebP is already smaller than JPG and PNG, but you can compress it further. Here are the optimal quality settings and when to use lossy vs lossless WebP. How to Compress PNG to 50KB for Web Without Losing Clarity PNG files are notoriously large. Here is how to get them under 50KB for web use without making them look terrible, plus when to ditch PNG entirely. How to Remove a White Background from an Image Online for Free Need a transparent PNG? Remove the white background from product photos, logos, and headshots in seconds, no Photoshop, no installs. Exporting RAW for Print vs Web: TIFF, JPG, or PNG? Your RAW file is edited. Now you need to export it, but TIFF for print, JPG for web, PNG for graphics? Here's how to choose the right format and settings.
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