What is the AGIF file format?
AGIF files are associated with Active GIF Creator, a Windows animation tool by Image Tools Group. They store project data for building animated GIF images - GIF is a popular format widely used on websites for simple looped animations.
AGIF files can hold various animation projects created with Active GIF Creator, for instance:
- 2D and 3D buttons,
- animated ads and banners,
- other animated graphics used on websites.
The .agif file is a project and source container - it is not the animated GIF itself. It preserves frame images (sourced from BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF, .ico, .psd, .tga, .wmf, AVI, and ANI inputs), per-frame timing and delay values, canvas dimensions, palette settings, and optimization parameters. Once editing is complete, the project is exported as a standard .gif file.
Active GIF Creator also allows users to digitally sign their projects to guard against potential copyright infringement. GIF output is limited to 256 colors (8 bpp), consistent with the GIF standard.
The format is proprietary and Windows-only. Active GIF Creator v4.3 is the final known version, still listed on the vendor site as of 2024, though the product appears largely unmaintained.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWProprietary binary project data with no executable content. Vendor website is small/unmaintained but no security concerns noted with the format itself.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open AGIF files
Windows1 app
Active GIF Creator
Paid File > Open, select the .agif project to resume editing; use File > Save As GIF to export the animation. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Binary, proprietary (internal structure undocumented) |
| Platform | Windows only |
| Magic bytes | None documented; file identified by .agif extension only |
| Content stored | Frame images, per-frame delay and timing, looping count, canvas dimensions, palette settings, optimization parameters |
| Supported source formats | BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF, ICO, PCX, TGA, PSD, WMF (static); AVI, ANI (animated import) |
| Output format | Project exported separately as a standard .gif file; .agif is the editable source, not the output |
| GIF output color depth | 256 colors (8 bpp) - GIF palette maximum |
| Maximum canvas size | 65535 x 65535 px (GIF standard limit; practical limit much lower) |
| Typical file size | 5 KB - 10 MB depending on frame count and source image size |
| Digital signature | Active GIF Creator supports project signing to assert copyright ownership |
| Released | c. 2000s (Active GIF Creator v1+; v4.3 is the final known version) |
| Latest version | 4.3 (as of 2024, still listed on vendor site) |
AGIF conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about AGIF files.
