Browse Tools Top 100
GIF PNG
File conversion

Convert GIF to PNG

Convert now
Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 16, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert GIF to PNG?
Yes - GIF converts to PNG.

You can do it right here with our free converter - no sign-up, and your file is deleted right after.

Open your GIF in IrfanView on Windows or Preview on macOS, then use Save As / Export and choose PNG. The one important caveat: if your GIF is animated, only the selected frame is saved - PNG is a single-image format, so the animation is lost.

Also to PNG: QOI · APM · PBM

On this page

Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

More free converters

HEIC, PNG, WEBP, MP3 and more - every tool here is free.

Open the toolbox
GIF → PNG converterFREE

Why convert GIF to PNG?

GIF is limited to 256 colors per frame, which causes visible banding on gradients and photos. .PNG supports 16 million colors and full alpha transparency instead of GIF's on/off transparency model. A static PNG of a GIF graphic typically looks sharper and compresses better for logos and flat artwork.

How to convert GIF to PNG

IrfanView FREE

Open the .gif, choose File › Save As, select PNG, and save.

Preview BUILT-IN

Open the .gif, go to File › Export, choose PNG from the Format menu, and save.

GIMP OPEN-SOURCE

Open the .gif (each frame loads as a layer), delete unwanted layers, then use File › Export As to save a .png.

Command line - ImageMagick CLI

Run magick input.gif[0] output.png to extract the first frame as PNG.

Programs that convert GIF

XnView
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Fireworks
FormatFactory
IrfanView
Microsoft Expression Design
Paint.NET
PhotoOnWeb

About these formats

.GIF Graphics Interchange Format

A GIF file is a raster image in Graphics Interchange Format, best known for short looping animations. Every web browser and operating system opens GIFs natively - just double-click the…

Open .GIF details →
.PNG Portable Network Graphics

A PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless raster image format. Every modern OS, browser, and image app opens PNGs natively - just double-click. The most common questions are not about…

Open .PNG details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Animated GIFs lose their animation - PNG stores a single frame; use APNG if you need to keep the motion.
  • PNG cannot restore colors lost when the GIF was originally encoded; 256-color banding remains in the output.
  • GIF's binary transparency (fully on or fully off) maps to a PNG alpha channel, but edges do not gain anti-aliasing.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting GIF to PNG improve image quality?
No - PNG is lossless so no further quality is lost, but it cannot restore the colors discarded when the GIF was first created.
How do I extract all frames from an animated GIF as PNG files?
GIMP loads each frame as a layer you can export individually; ImageMagick exports all frames at once with magick input.gif frame-%d.png.
Will the transparent background survive the conversion?
Yes - GIF transparency is preserved as a PNG alpha channel by all common tools, including IrfanView, GIMP, and Preview.
Is a PNG always smaller than the original GIF?
Not always - for photos, PNG can be larger; for logos and flat graphics with few colors, PNG is usually smaller.