IMAGE→GIF local · no upload

Free online converter · No sign-up

Image to GIF

One image or thirty · local encoding · no upload

Turn one image into a still GIF, or a stack of images into an animated GIF. The encoder runs in this tab; your files never leave your device.

  • 1 image → still GIF
  • 2+ images → animation
  • No upload
  • No sign-up
  • No watermark

A GIF is a stack of frames with a delay.

For photos, 480–640 px wide keeps file sizes sane. GIF is limited to 256 colors, so a single photo will look better as JPEG or WebP.

Local GIF encoder GIF89a
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or paste an image with Ctrl/⌘ + V

What an image to GIF converter does

An image to GIF converter turns one still image, or a sequence of still images, into a GIF file. This converter reads your files from disk, draws them to a canvas, reduces each frame to a GIF palette, and writes the GIF in a Web Worker. There is no upload endpoint.

Use it when a site, chat app, or document requires a GIF. GIF is an old format with a hard 256-color ceiling; for a single photo, JPEG or WebP will usually look better and be smaller. For a short, silent loop or a sticker, GIF is still the safest format.

Three steps

From files to a GIF

01

Add your images

Drop one image for a still GIF, or several for an animation. Reorder the frames before you encode.

02

Choose the output

Pick a width, frame time, loop, background, and color quality. Auto uses 256 colors and dithering for photos.

03

Encode and download

The GIF is written in a Web Worker on your device. Download it when the preview looks right.

Start by format

Choose your starting point

JPG / JPEG

JPG to GIF

For opaque photos, with notes on the 256-color loss and when to keep the JPEG.

Open the JPG guide → PNG

PNG to GIF

For logos and stickers, where hard-edged transparency usually survives and soft shadows do not.

Open the PNG guide → Photos

Photo to GIF

For 5–15 photos, with frame timing, ordering, and file-size advice for a short loop.

Open the photo guide →
Format limits

What GIF can and cannot do

Limit What it means in this tool
Colors Up to 256 colors per frame. Photos are quantized; flat graphics usually survive the reduction.
Transparency 1-bit transparency: a pixel is either fully visible or fully transparent. There is no partial alpha.
Frame delay Stored in hundredths of a second, so the finest step is 10 ms.
Looping GIF89a can loop forever or play once. The loop count is written into the file.
Compression LZW, frame by frame. There is no inter-frame prediction like a video codec.
Best for Stickers, simple graphics, short slideshows, memes, and places that reject video or WebP.
Not ideal for Photographic gradients, long animations, high-resolution footage, and anything that needs partial transparency.
Guides

Understand the trade-offs

How to make a GIF from photos GIF vs WebP vs APNG Why GIFs have 256 colors How to reduce GIF file size Transparent GIF: what works and what doesn't HEIC to GIF on iPhone

All guides are written for this converter and checked against the browser test matrix in the editorial notes. See all guides.

Privacy by architecture

The converter is a static page. Your images are decoded by the browser, drawn to a canvas, and encoded by a worker on the same device. No image data is sent to this site or to a third party.

  • No upload endpoint
  • No account
  • No watermark
  • No server-side copy
Questions

Image to GIF FAQ

Are my images uploaded anywhere?

No. The files are read by your browser and encoded in this tab. The site has no upload endpoint, so there is no server-side copy of your images.

Is the converter free?

Yes. There is no account, payment, or watermark. Each file can be up to 30 MB, the total selection can be up to 150 MB, and one GIF can combine up to 30 images. The practical limit is your device memory.

How many images can I combine?

Up to 30 in one GIF. For a slideshow, 5–15 frames is usually smoother and much smaller than 30.

Why is my GIF larger than the source images?

GIF stores up to 256 colors per frame and compresses each frame with LZW, without the inter-frame prediction used by video codecs. A 640 px, 10-frame photo GIF can easily be several megabytes. Reduce the width, the frame count, or the palette to bring it down.

Does GIF support transparent backgrounds?

Yes, but only one fully transparent color. GIF has 1-bit transparency, so soft or semi-transparent edges become hard edges. Use PNG or WebP if you need partial alpha.

Can I convert a single image to GIF?

Yes. One image produces a still GIF. Keep in mind that GIF is limited to 256 colors; for a single photo, JPEG or WebP is usually smaller and more accurate.

Does it work on iPhone?

The converter works in Safari on iOS. If your photo is HEIC and your browser cannot decode it, export the photo as JPEG first. iPhones can set Camera > Formats > Most Compatible to shoot JPEG.

What input formats are supported?

JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, BMP, GIF, SVG, and ICO are decoded by the browser. HEIC/HEIF depends on the browser; Safari on Apple devices may decode it. Animated GIF, WebP, and AVIF inputs use the first frame.

Is the output a real GIF89a file?

Yes. The encoder writes GIF89a with a color table, per-frame delays, optional looping, and 1-bit transparency. You can open the downloaded file in any GIF viewer.

Can I use the GIF commercially?

The tool does not add a watermark or claim rights over your images. You are responsible for having the rights to the images you convert and for the rules of the platform where you use the GIF.

Make the GIF here.

No account. No upload. The file is written on your device.

Open the converter