Images · .gif
What Is a GIF File?
A .gif file is an image format best known for short, looping animations.
- Extension
- .gif
- Full name
- Graphics Interchange Format
- Type
- Image
- MIME type
- image/gif
- Developed by
- CompuServe (1987)
Free GIF Tools
These run in your browser. Your GIF files are never uploaded.
About GIF Files
GIF is one of the oldest image formats on the web and the only one that has played animations everywhere for decades. Each frame can use at most 256 colours, which keeps simple graphics small but makes photos look grainy or banded. GIF supports simple transparency, where a pixel is either fully see-through or not, without soft edges. Animated GIFs are often large because every frame is stored as a separate picture, which is why many sites now convert them to video or animated WebP behind the scenes.
How to Open a GIF File
- Windows
- Open the file in a web browser to see the animation. The Photos app shows GIFs too.
- Mac
- Press the space bar in Finder for Quick Look
- iPhone & Android
- GIFs play in the Photos or Gallery app and in most messaging apps.
- Any device
- Drag the file into a browser tab to play it.
GIF File Questions
How is GIF pronounced?
Its creator, Steve Wilhite, said it is pronounced with a soft g, like 'jif'. Many people say it with a hard g, as in 'gift'. Both are widely understood.
Why are animated GIFs so big?
Each frame is stored as a full picture with only basic compression. The GIF Compressor on this site can reduce colours, drop frames and shrink the size.
Can a GIF have sound?
No. GIF is an image format and can't contain audio. Animations with sound are video files, such as MP4.