How to use it
- Drop in your GIFs.
- Each is converted to a PNG straight away.
- Download the results.
Why convert GIF to PNG
For still images, PNG replaced GIF long ago for good reasons. GIF is limited to 256 colours per frame and only has on-or-off transparency, so edges against a transparent background look jagged. PNG has no colour limit and supports smooth, partial transparency. Old logos, clip art and diagrams saved as GIF convert to PNG without any change in appearance and are easier to work with afterwards.
PNG is also often smaller for the same static image, because its compression is more modern than GIF's LZW scheme.
About animated GIFs
A PNG holds a single picture, so an animated GIF becomes a still of its first frame. If the first frame is blank or a fade-in, that is what you will get. To build a new animation from separate images, the GIF maker does the reverse job.
GIF and PNG compared
| GIF | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | 1987 | 1996 |
| Compression | Lossless, but 256 colours at most | Lossless |
| Transparency | On or off only | Yes, including soft edges |
| Animation or pages | Animation | Only as APNG, rarely used |
| Best for | Simple animations | Screenshots, graphics, text and transparency |
| Support | Universal | Universal |
Questions people ask
Will the PNG look exactly like the GIF?
Yes. GIF colours all fit comfortably within PNG, and transparent areas stay transparent.
Can I pick which frame of an animated GIF to save?
Not here. The browser exposes only the first frame of an animated GIF to the page.
Is a PNG smaller than a GIF?
For static images it usually is, sometimes by a good margin. For tiny icons the difference is negligible.