Images conversion
Convert GIF to AVIF
Updated Jul 2026
GIF is the old, chunky format behind most memes and looping animations, limited to 256 colors. AVIF is a newer image format built for the web, with far better compression and full color range. To convert, open the file in a converter and export it as AVIF. Doing it on your own computer means the file never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .gif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Animations, memes
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .avif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Next-gen web images
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert GIF to AVIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert GIF to AVIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the GIF file or a whole folder of them.
- Choose AVIF as the output format.
- Convert. The AVIF file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
GIF vs AVIF: what actually changes
| GIF | AVIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Large, stores color data plainly with little compression | Much smaller, often a fraction of the GIF's size |
| Colors | Limited to 256 colors, so gradients can look banded | Full color range, smooth gradients |
| Compression | Lossless, nothing is thrown away | Lossy, a small amount of detail is discarded to save space |
| Compatibility | Opens everywhere, one of the oldest web formats | Growing support, but some older apps and browsers still can't open it |
| Transparency | Yes, but only fully on or off, no soft edges | Yes, with smooth partial transparency |
| Animation | Yes, plays reliably in almost anything | Technically supported, but playback is inconsistent across apps and platforms |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert a GIF to AVIF when it's a static image, like a meme, chart, or simple graphic, and you want it to look sharper on the web while taking up much less space.
Keep the GIF if it needs to animate and play back reliably everywhere, since AVIF's animation support is still inconsistent across browsers, messaging apps, and photo viewers.
Why not just use an online converter?
GIFs saved off the internet are often screenshots, memes, or clips turned into loops, and sometimes personal photos or screen recordings people would rather not hand over. Uploading one to an online converter just to change its format means a stranger's server gets a copy, if only briefly. Converting on your own computer keeps the file on your machine the entire time.
Questions
Does converting GIF to AVIF lose quality?
It depends. GIF is lossless but stuck at 256 colors, so a photo-like GIF often looks better as AVIF, which uses the full color range even though its compression is lossy. Push the AVIF quality setting too low, though, and you'll see its own compression artifacts.
Will an animated GIF still animate after converting to AVIF?
AVIF does support animation, but not every browser, app, or photo viewer plays animated AVIFs correctly yet. If reliable playback matters more than file size, GIF is still the safer bet.
Does AVIF keep the same transparency as GIF?
It does more than keep it. GIF only supports transparency as fully on or off for each pixel, while AVIF supports smooth, partial transparency, so edges can look cleaner after converting.
Can I convert GIF to AVIF without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file locally on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet. You can do it with your wifi off.
Why convert a GIF to AVIF instead of leaving it alone?
Mostly file size. A static GIF used as a photo or graphic on a website can shrink dramatically as AVIF while looking as good or better, which matters for load times and storage.
Morphjet converts GIF, AVIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.