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SVG to GIF Converter

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

Drag and drop SVG 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.

SVG is an XML-based vector format that stays sharp at any size. Current browsers open SVG, but support in programs and services is uneven.

GIF is limited to 256 colors, and synonymous with short moving images. When you convert SVG to GIF, you can open it in more places. See the comparison below for what changes.

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

SVG vs GIF: what's the difference?

ItemSVGGIF
CompressionVector (stored as math)Lossless
Transparent backgroundYesYes
AnimationYesYes
Introduced20011987
Support in programs and upload formsmoderatenearly everywhere
Shown directly in browsersYesYes
Photo file size (JPG = 1)n/aabout 2.5×

What is SVG?

SVG stores lines, shapes and curves as math in text (XML) instead of pixels. It stays sharp however far you zoom, and a simple logo can be just a few KB.

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 SVG 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.

The vector becomes a fixed-size pixel image

The moment you convert SVG to GIF, the resolution is fixed. Set the width in px in the options first so it is drawn sharply at the size you need; enlarging it later makes it blurry.

GIF has no quality setting

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

How the file size changes

SVG is a resolution-independent vector, so its size depends on how complex the shapes are. A simple logo is far smaller as SVG than as GIF, but once rasterized it needs pixel data for the exact width and height you choose.

GIF opens in more places

Support for SVG in programs, document tools and upload forms is moderate, while GIF is nearly everywhere. If you need to upload somewhere SVG wouldn't open, try again after converting.

When to convert

  • You need to upload to a program, messenger or upload form that can't open SVG
  • 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)

SVG → GIF: frequently asked questions

+Does converting SVG to GIF reduce quality?

SVG is a resolution-independent vector, so it is drawn sharply at the size you set. Once saved as GIF, though, it is a fixed pixel image, so decide the size you need first.

+What happens to the file size?

SVG is a resolution-independent vector, so its size depends on how complex the shapes are. A simple logo is far smaller as SVG than as GIF, but once rasterized it needs pixel data for the exact width and height you choose. When conversion finishes, the size of each SVG 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 SVG is better, so check the comparison table above for how the two formats differ.

+Why won't my SVG file open?

Every current browser supports it, but social networks, messengers and some upload forms don't accept SVG. In that case, converting SVG to GIF makes it open in more places.

+Is my file uploaded to a server?

No. Your SVG 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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