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Free Online GIF to PNG Converter

Save each GIF frame as a PNG, transparency kept on every one.

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

GIF to PNG: upgrading a limited format

GIF's 256-color palette and LZW compression produce larger files with worse color fidelity than PNG for static images. Converting to PNG preserves all 256 colors exactly (no quality loss) while potentially achieving better compression via DEFLATE with prediction filters. For animated GIFs, conversion extracts a single frame (typically the first) since PNG does not support animation natively, use APNG or WebP for animated output.

Convert static GIF to PNG for better compression and broader editing support. This is a lossless upgrade, the PNG preserves every pixel of the GIF. Most useful when you have legacy GIF images that need to enter a modern PNG-based workflow.

GIF vs PNG: Side-by-side

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

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

Frequently asked questions

What is GIF?

GIF is an 8-bit format limited to 256 colours, typically used for simple animations and low-colour graphics. Converting it to PNG produces a file that opens on systems without GIF support.

GIF vs PNG - which format should I use?

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

How do I open GIF files?

On Windows: Photos, or any browser. On a Mac: Preview, or any browser. Preview on Mac shows only the first frame of an animation, open it in a browser to watch it play.

GIF vs PNG - which format should I use?

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

What happens to the animation?

A PNG holds a single still image, so an animated GIF's motion cannot survive the conversion, you end up with one frame rather than a moving picture. If you need the animation itself, WebP or MP4 are the formats that keep it.

Will the colours improve?

They will not come back, but they will stop degrading. GIF is limited to a 256-colour palette, and whatever banding or dithering that introduced is already baked into the image. PNG supports millions of colours and is lossless, so it preserves the result exactly, it simply cannot reconstruct detail the GIF palette discarded.

Is transparency preserved?

Yes, and usually improved. GIF transparency is a single on-or-off colour, which is what produces those jagged fringes around edges. PNG has a proper alpha channel with 256 levels, so converted edges can be cleaner, though any hard-edged fringing already present in the GIF stays as it is.

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