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PNG to GIF Converter

Turn PNG files into GIF in a couple of clicks. Lossless image format with full alpha transparency. 256-colour animated format, still ubiquitous. The output is re-encoded, so quality depends on the settings you choose.

On your deviceNever uploadedGone when you close the tabHow this works

Drop your files here

PNG files (.png) · up to 120 MB each

or paste files from your clipboard

Ready when you are

Drop a PNG file above and FileTools360 will turn it into GIF — right here on your device, without uploading anything.

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How to use it

  1. 1

    Add your PNG files

    Drag them onto the upload area, choose them from your device, or paste them from your clipboard. You can queue several at once.

  2. 2

    Adjust the settings if you want to

    The defaults suit most people. Open Advanced to control quality, dimensions, rotation and metadata removal.

  3. 3

    Convert and download

    Press Convert. Everything happens on your own device — nothing is uploaded. Download files one by one, or grab them all as a ZIP.

PNG and GIF explained

PNG is a lossless raster format built to replace GIF. It stores every pixel exactly as given and supports a full 8-bit alpha channel, which means genuine partial transparency rather than the single transparent colour GIF offers.

GIF is a 1987 format limited to a 256-colour palette per frame, with support for simple animation and one fully transparent colour. Its longevity is cultural rather than technical — nothing about it is efficient by modern standards.

Where PNG files come from
Screenshots, exported logos and UI assets, and anything designed rather than photographed.
Where GIF is used
Reaction images, simple UI animations, and screen recordings shared in chat.

PNG vs GIF

The two formats solve different problems, which is why converting between them involves trade-offs rather than a straight upgrade.

PNG compared with GIF
PropertySourceTarget
CompressionLosslessLossless
TransparencyYesYes
AnimationNoYes
Colour limitFull colour256 per frame
Introduced19961987
Browser supportUniversally supported.Universally supported.
PNG is stronger at
Completely lossless — re-saving never degrades the image. Full alpha transparency, including soft edges and shadows. Sharp text and hard edges stay sharp.
GIF is stronger at
Animation plays anywhere without a video player. Universally supported, including in email and old forums. Lossless within its 256-colour limit.

Why convert PNG to GIF?

People make this switch when they run into the limits of PNG: you are publishing photographs on the web, where it will be several times larger than it needs to be. GIF is the better fit when you need a short animation that autoplays in a context where video is not allowed.

PNG limitations that prompt the switch
Much larger than JPEG or WebP for photographic content. No animation in practice (APNG exists but support is inconsistent). No native support for CMYK or print colour workflows.
What you give up
256 colours per frame, so photographs and gradients look banded. Enormous files compared with video — often 5–10× an equivalent MP4.

Does converting PNG to GIF reduce quality?

Both formats store the content without discarding data, so this conversion preserves it exactly. The file size may change because the two formats compress differently, but the content itself is unaffected.

Converting a JPEG to PNG does not improve its quality. It freezes the image exactly as it already is, artefacts included, in a larger file.

A GIF is not a video. It is a sequence of full images with no interframe compression, which is exactly why it is so large.

About these formats

Source

Portable Network Graphics

Lossless image format with full alpha transparency.

Extensions
.png
MIME type
image/png
Best for
Transparency · Graphics and logos · Screenshots
Compatibility
Universally supported.

Target

Graphics Interchange Format

256-colour animated format, still ubiquitous.

Extensions
.gif
MIME type
image/gif
Best for
Short animations · Simple graphics · Chat and forums
Compatibility
Universally supported.

Good to know

PNG to GIF Converter — questions

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FileTools360 by the numbers

521 converters and tools65 file formatsnothing ever uploaded.