Images conversion
Convert PNG to GIF
Updated Jul 2026
To convert PNG to GIF, open the file in a converter and export it as GIF. GIF stores images with a 256-color palette instead of PNG's full color range, so flat-color graphics like logos and screenshots convert cleanly, while photos and gradients can show visible banding. This can be done on your own computer without uploading anything.
- Extension
- .png
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Screenshots, logos, UI assets
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .gif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Animations, memes
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert PNG to GIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert PNG to GIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the PNG files you want to convert, or drop in a whole folder at once.
- Choose GIF as the output format.
- Convert. The GIFs are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
PNG vs GIF: what actually changes
| PNG | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Larger for photos, efficient for flat graphics | Can be smaller for flat graphics, but larger than PNG for photos |
| Quality | Full color depth, no color loss | Limited to 256 colors, so photos and gradients can show banding |
| Transparency | Yes, full range with soft, blended edges | Yes, but only fully transparent or fully opaque, no soft edges |
| Animation | No, static only | Yes, can hold multiple frames as an animation |
| Compatibility | Yes, universal support | Yes, universal support, one of the oldest web image formats |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert PNG to GIF when you need an animated image, or when a specific site, forum, or tool is built around GIF instead of PNG.
Keep the PNG if the image has photographic detail, soft gradients, or transparency with smooth edges, since GIF's 256-color palette will flatten those into visible bands and its transparency into hard edges.
Why not just use an online converter?
PNG files are often screenshots or logos, the kind of image that can carry sensitive interface details, private data, or an unreleased design. Converting them to GIF through an online tool means sending that image to a server you don't control. Doing the conversion on your own computer keeps it on your machine the entire time.
Questions
Does converting PNG to GIF lose quality?
Often, yes. GIF is limited to a 256-color palette, so photos and images with gradients can show visible banding or dithering. Flat-color graphics like logos, icons, and screenshots usually convert with little visible difference.
Will transparency still work after converting?
Partially. GIF supports transparency, but only as fully transparent or fully opaque, there's no partial transparency. Soft, anti-aliased edges in the PNG can end up with a slight hard edge instead of a smooth blend.
Can converting one PNG create an animated GIF?
No. A GIF made from a single PNG is just a static image saved in GIF format. An actual animation needs multiple source images combined into frames.
Why convert to GIF instead of keeping PNG?
Some older sites, forums, and messaging platforms are built around GIF, and simple flat-color images can sometimes compress smaller as a GIF than as a PNG. Outside of those cases, PNG is usually the better choice.
Can I convert PNG to GIF without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. Morphjet converts the file locally on your Mac or PC, so the image never has to leave your computer.
Morphjet converts PNG, GIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.