PNG to GIF Converter

Encoding: the PNG uses lossless DEFLATE with a prediction filter chosen per row; GIF uses lossless LZW over a palette of at most 256 colours, and the download is a GIF with an optimised palette of up to 256 colours per frame, dithered.

Bit depth: 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 bits per channel in the PNG; GIF allows 8 bits per pixel, as indexes into a palette, and the GIF written here has 8 bits per pixel (palette). 16-bit PNGs from photo and scientific software are reduced to 8 bits per channel.

Colour: RGB, greyscale, or an indexed palette of up to 256 colours in the PNG; GIF supports an indexed palette of up to 256 colours per frame, written here as an indexed palette of up to 256 colours.

Transparency: the PNG stores it as a full alpha channel, so edges and shadows can fade smoothly; the GIF keeps it as on or off per pixel, so soft edges become hard.

Metadata: the PNG can carry text chunks, an ICC profile, physical resolution and EXIF in an eXIf chunk; GIF can carry comment and application extension blocks, but no EXIF, but nothing is copied across.

PNG stores pixels losslessly with full alpha transparency. It is ideal for screenshots, logos, UI and anything with sharp edges, but photos saved as PNG are several times larger than JPEG.

A PNG opens with an 8-byte signature and is a chain of chunks, each with its own CRC: IHDR (size, depth, colour type), optional PLTE and tRNS for palettes, one or more IDAT chunks with the compressed rows, and IEND.

PNG files usually come from screenshots, design exports, logos and web graphics.

GIF is the classic animated image format. It is limited to 256 colours per frame and 1-bit transparency, so photos look grainy and files are large, but it plays everywhere.

A GIF starts with 'GIF89a' (or the older 87a), a logical screen descriptor and an optional global colour table, then image blocks, each preceded by a graphic control extension that sets its delay and transparent colour.

GIF is the better choice for short animations and reactions that must play everywhere, while PNG suits screenshots, logos, graphics and anything that needs transparency.

GIF strengths: Animation that works everywhere; Simple, universally supported; Good for small flat graphics. Drawbacks to weigh: Only 256 colours per frame; Hard-edged transparency only; Large files for photos or long clips.