How to use it
- Add your frames and put them in order.
- Set the time per frame and the width.
- Build the APNG, check the preview, and download.
APNG versus GIF
Animated PNG extends PNG with frames and timing. Each frame keeps full colour, and transparency can be soft, so drop shadows and anti-aliased edges look right on any background. GIF, by contrast, is limited to 256 colours per frame and all-or-nothing transparency. Every current browser plays APNG, and the 2025 revision of the PNG standard formally includes it.
The trade-off is size
Full-colour frames are bigger. An APNG of photographic frames can be several times the size of the equivalent GIF. The 256 colours option narrows that gap, keeping soft transparency while reducing colour depth. For photographic animation on your own website, a short video or animated WebP is usually smaller still.
Where APNG works well
- Animated stickers and emoji-style icons with transparent backgrounds.
- Small interface animations and loading indicators on websites.
- Places that play images but not video, where GIF colours look too crude.
Some apps show only the first frame of an APNG, since it is a valid ordinary PNG too. Check the destination plays it before relying on the animation.
Questions people ask
Is APNG better than GIF?
For quality, yes: full colour and smooth transparency. GIF is more universally animated in older apps.
Why is only the first frame showing?
The app treats it as a still PNG. Browsers play APNG; some image viewers and chat apps do not.
Does APNG loop?
Yes, animations made here loop continuously.