How to use it
- Add GIF files.
- Pick a background colour for any transparent areas, and a quality level.
- Download the JPGs.
Worth knowing before you convert
GIF is best at flat colour: logos, simple illustrations, pixel art. Those are the images JPG is worst at. Keep the quality high, 90% or more, so that outlines stay crisp and flat areas do not pick up a faint mottled texture.
If your GIF was made from a photo or video clip, it has already been reduced to 256 colours, which often shows as banding or a speckled dither pattern. Converting to JPG will preserve that look; it cannot restore the colours that were removed when the GIF was made.
For graphics that need to stay sharp, GIF to PNG is the better conversion. Use JPG when the destination insists on it.
GIF and JPG compared
| GIF | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | 1987 | 1992 |
| Compression | Lossless, but 256 colours at most | Lossy |
| Transparency | On or off only | No |
| Animation or pages | Animation | No |
| Best for | Simple animations | Photos for sharing, email and print |
| Support | Universal | Universal |
Questions people ask
What happens to the animation?
JPG is a still format, so you get the first frame only.
What happens to the transparent background?
It is filled with the colour you pick. White is the default.
Why does my converted GIF look grainy?
That grain is dithering, which GIF uses to fake extra colours. It was in the GIF already and carries over into the JPG.