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JPG to GIF Converter

Upload a JPG file and it is converted to GIF right away. The input format is detected automatically.

Drag and drop JPG images here

Click to choose files · or paste with Ctrl+V

Convert many at once · up to 50MB per file

Your files are never uploaded. All conversion happens inside this browser.

JPG is the most widely used lossy format for photos. JPG opens in most environments, but another format such as GIF may suit some uses better.

GIF is limited to 256 colors, and synonymous with short moving images. When you convert JPG to GIF, you get a format that supports transparency and the file grows. See the comparison below for what changes.

This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is JPG, then converts it to GIF right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.

JPG vs GIF: what's the difference?

ItemJPGGIF
CompressionLossyLossless
Transparent backgroundNoYes
AnimationNoYes
Introduced19921987
Support in programs and upload formsnearly everywherenearly everywhere
Shown directly in browsersYesYes
Photo file size (JPG = 1)baseline (1×)about 2.5×

What is JPG?

JPG (JPEG) is a lossy format standardized in 1992. It drops information the human eye is less sensitive to, making photos very small. It is the format cameras and smartphones save by default, so it is the one you meet most often.

What is GIF?

GIF is one of the oldest web image formats, created in 1987, and can use only up to 256 colors per image. The compression itself is lossless, but reducing the colors to 256 makes photos look visibly coarse.

What changes when you convert JPG to GIF

Converting doesn't add a transparent background

JPG has no transparency information, so converting to GIF keeps the background as it is. To remove a background you need a separate background-removal tool.

Quality doesn't improve, but it doesn't get worse either

Information lost when JPG was saved can't be recovered. GIF is lossless, so it keeps the image exactly as it is now and later edits and saves add no further degradation. File size will grow, though.

GIF has no quality setting

GIF is lossless, so the quality slider doesn't apply. Instead, when converting from JPG you can manage file size by resizing (exact width and height, or a percentage).

How the file size changes

For the same photo, GIF is much larger than JPG (roughly 3× or so). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.

When to convert

  • You must upload a still image to an old board or system that only accepts GIF
  • You're preparing an image for typical GIF uses (simple logos and pixel art, uploading still images to legacy systems that only accept gif)
  • You want to tidy a JPG file into a format that's easier to edit or archive

JPG → GIF: frequently asked questions

+Does converting JPG to GIF reduce quality?

Because of GIF's 256-color limit, photos can look coarse. Logos and simple graphics show almost no difference.

+What happens to the file size?

For the same photo, GIF is much larger than JPG (roughly 3× or so). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller. When conversion finishes, the size of each JPG original and GIF result and the change are shown per file.

+What are the benefits of saving as GIF?

Benefits of GIF include "The animation standard that plays everywhere" and "Small files for simple graphics and icons". In some cases keeping JPG is better, so check the comparison table above for how the two formats differ.

+Why won't my JPG file open?

The most compatible photo format. Old software, print shops and upload forms mostly ask for JPG. In that case, converting JPG to GIF makes it open in more places.

+Is my file uploaded to a server?

No. Your JPG file is read and converted to GIF only inside this browser and is never sent to a server. EXIF data such as shooting location is also removed during conversion.

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