PNG is a versatile lossless format with transparency support. PNG 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 PNG to GIF, compatibility and typical uses change. See the comparison below for what changes.
This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is PNG, then converts it to GIF right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
PNG vs GIF: what's the difference?
| Item | PNG | GIF |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparent background | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | Yes |
| Introduced | 1996 | 1987 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | nearly everywhere | nearly everywhere |
| Shown directly in browsers | Yes | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | about 3× | about 2.5× |
What is PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless format created in 1996 to avoid the patent problems around GIF. Because not a single pixel changes when you save and reopen it, it suits original artwork that goes through many edits.
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 PNG to GIF
Semi-transparency is simplified to transparent or opaque
GIF doesn't support partial transparency. Soft fading edges and shadows can look jagged, like stair steps.
Colors are reduced to at most 256
GIF can use only 256 colors per image. Logos and pixel art stay nearly the same, but photos and gradients can show color banding.
GIF has no quality setting
GIF is lossless, so the quality slider doesn't apply. Instead, when converting from PNG you can manage file size by resizing (exact width and height, or a percentage).
How the file size changes
PNG and GIF are about the same size for photos, and the quality setting can tip it either way.
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 PNG file into a format that's easier to edit or archive
PNG → GIF: practical tips
Converting PNG to GIF reduces colors to at most 256. Photos can show color banding, so it suits images with simple colors such as logos and pixel art.
Transparency is kept, but semi-transparent edges are split into transparent or opaque, which can look like stair steps.