How to use it
- Drop in PNG files.
- Each is reduced to at most 256 colours and saved as GIF.
- Download the results.
What changes going to GIF
GIF has two hard limits. First, it can only use 256 colours per image. The converter picks the best 256 for each picture; flat graphics look identical, while photos and gradients show some banding or speckle. Second, transparency is all or nothing: a pixel is either fully see-through or fully solid. Soft edges and shadows in a PNG become hard-edged, which looks jagged on backgrounds other than the one the image was designed for.
Where GIF is still asked for
- Some email builders and older newsletter systems.
- Legacy intranets and content systems.
- Small embedded screens and hobby electronics libraries that decode GIF.
If you are making an animation, the GIF maker builds one from several PNGs. For a modern animated format with full colour and soft transparency, try the APNG maker.
PNG and GIF compared
| PNG | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | 1996 | 1987 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless, but 256 colours at most |
| Transparency | Yes, including soft edges | On or off only |
| Animation or pages | Only as APNG, rarely used | Animation |
| Best for | Screenshots, graphics, text and transparency | Simple animations |
| Support | Universal | Universal |
Questions people ask
Will my PNG look the same as a GIF?
Simple graphics will. Photos and gradients may show banding because GIF allows only 256 colours.
Does GIF keep transparency?
Yes, but only fully on or off, so soft edges become hard.
Can I make an animated GIF from PNGs?
Yes, with the GIF maker.