What is the TGS file format?
A .tgs file is a Telegram Animated Sticker - a Lottie JSON animation document wrapped in a GZIP container. Telegram introduced this format in July 2019, letting users share smooth, scalable vector animations in chats without the hefty file sizes of raster video formats.
At the binary level, every .tgs file opens with the magic bytes 1F 8B - the standard GZIP header. Decompressing the file (rename it to .json.gz and run gunzip) reveals a plain JSON object with the Lottie keys "v", "fr", "ip", "op", and "layers". Because the content is vector-based, stickers render crisply at any display density without quality loss.
Telegram enforces strict authoring constraints: the canvas must be 512×512 pixels, frame rate up to 60 fps, animation length no more than 3 seconds, and the finished compressed file must not exceed 64 KB. Tools that can read, convert, or export .tgs files include python-lottie, lottie-converter, and web services such as ezgif, which can produce GIF or WebP output.
.tgs is also the extension used by GeneStudio Pro for its phylogenetic tree data files. Those files store acyclic graph structures containing nodes (organisms), edges (evolutionary relationships), and associated biological characteristics - entirely separate from the Telegram sticker format and not interchangeable with it.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA Telegram .tgs is just gzip-compressed JSON describing vector shapes - it contains no executable code and is safe to view or convert. The only minor caveats: a maliciously crafted file could try to exploit a bug in a specific Lottie renderer (keep apps/players updated), and a "decompression bomb" gzip could be oversized - but normal stickers are tiny (20-30 KB). Use reputable converters; avoid sketchy "TGS opener" download sites that bundle adware when a simple web tool or 7-Zip does the job.
Format details
in a nutshellFULL NAMETelegram Animated Sticker (gzip-compressed Lottie JSON) - dominant meaning
DEVELOPERTelegram FZ-LLC (format based on Airbnb's Lottie)since July 2019 (Telegram animated stickers, based on Lottie)
CATEGORYMisc Files
MIME TYPEapplication/gzip
TYPEGZIP-compressed Lottie JSON vector animation
STANDARDOpen · royalty-free
This extension is also used by…
- GeneStudio GSTree phylogenetic tree - A legacy phylogenetic-tree data file from the discontinued GeneStudio molecular-biology suite - text-based and unrelated to the Telegram sticker format.
MAGIC BYTES · FILE SIGNATURE
OFFSET
0001
HEX
1F8B
ASCII
··
A Telegram .tgs is just a GZIP stream - magic 1F 8B at offset 0 - wrapping a single Lottie JSON. Rename to .json.gz or gunzip it to reveal the Lottie animation. The UNRELATED GeneStudio .tgs (see below) is a different, text-based file with no such signature.
Programs that open TGS files
Windows2 apps
7-Zip
Open-source Rename the file to 'name.tgs.gz' (or open directly) and extract - you get the raw Lottie JSON inside. 
LottieViewConvert
Open-source Cross-platform desktop app: open the .tgs and export to GIF/WebP/APNG/MP4/WebM. 
macOS1 app
Linux2 apps
lottie-converter (ed-asriyan)
Open-source Command-line tool: convert .tgs/.json Lottie to GIF/PNG/APNG/WEBP/WEBM.
python-lottie
Open-source Library/CLI to read, edit and export .tgs Telegram stickers and Lottie animations. 
Android1 app
Telegram
Free Add the sticker pack in Telegram; .tgs stickers play natively. This is their intended home.
iOS1 app
Web3 apps
ezgif - TGS to GIF
Free Upload the .tgs to convert it to an animated GIF (also offers WebP/APNG/MP4) you can use anywhere.
Telegram Sticker Viewer (tgsviewer)
Free Upload a .tgs to play it as a Lottie animation in the browser.
utils.tg - Telegram sticker tools
Free Convert .tgs to GIF/PNG/WebP/JSON, or build a .tgs from SVG/Lottie. Technical details
deep spec| Container format | GZIP stream (RFC 1952) wrapping one Lottie JSON document |
| Magic bytes | 1F 8B at offset 0 - standard GZIP header |
| Inner data format | Lottie JSON; root keys include "v", "fr", "ip", "op", "layers" |
| Animation type | Vector (shape layers, transforms, keyframes - no raster pixels) |
| Canvas size | 512 × 512 pixels (Telegram requirement) |
| Frame rate | Up to 60 fps |
| Max duration | 3 seconds |
| Max file size (compressed) | 64 KB |
| Compression algorithm | DEFLATE (via GZIP) |
| MIME type | application/gzip |
| Transparency | Full alpha channel supported through Lottie layer compositing |
| Rendering engine | Lottie-compatible renderer (e.g., rlottie on Android, lottie-web in browsers) |
| Decompression method | Rename to .json.gz and run gunzip, or use python-lottie / lottie-converter |
| Developer | Telegram FZ-LLC, based on Airbnb's Lottie animation library |
| Released | July 2019 (Telegram animated stickers, based on Lottie) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | airbnb.io |
TGS conversions
Possible
.TGS .GIFGUIDE
Yes, TGS converts to GIF - the fastest way is uploading to ezgif.com/tgs-to-gif, which takes the file and…
How to convert
.TGS .WEBPGUIDE
Yes, you can convert TGS to animated WebP - the fastest way is to upload the file to ezgif.com or utils.tg…
How to convert
.TGS .MP4GUIDE
Yes - use LottieViewConvert (free, desktop) or ezgif in a browser to get an MP4 in under a minute.
How to convert
.TGS .JSONGUIDE
Yes - rename the file to .json.gz and decompress it; no converter needed.
How to convert
.TGS .LOTTIEGUIDE
Yes - a .tgs file IS a Lottie animation in disguise; decompress it with any gzip tool (7-Zip, gunzip) and you…
How to convert
.TGS .SVGGUIDE
Yes, you can extract a single frame from a TGS file as SVG using python-lottie or LottieFiles, but the…
How to convert
Community Q&A
asked by users
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Frequently asked questions
How do I open a .tgs file?
A .tgs is a Telegram animated sticker (gzip-compressed Lottie). It's made for the Telegram app, where it just plays. On a computer, upload it to a web viewer/converter like ezgif (TGS to GIF) to see it, or rename it to '.json.gz' and decompress to get the Lottie JSON.
How do I convert a .tgs sticker to a GIF?
Upload the .tgs to ezgif's TGS-to-GIF tool, utils.tg, or run the open-source lottie-converter / LottieViewConvert. These render the Lottie animation and export GIF, WebP, APNG or MP4. GIF is the most compatible but loses some sharpness and transparency.
Why won't my .tgs file open on my PC?
Windows/Mac have no built-in app for it - it's a Telegram-specific Lottie format, not a normal image. There's nothing to double-click. Use Telegram, an online TGS viewer/converter, or decompress it as gzip to inspect the Lottie JSON.
What's inside a .tgs file?
A single GZIP-compressed Lottie JSON - vector shapes, layers and keyframes (frame rate, in/out points). Decompress it (rename to .json.gz, then gunzip/7-Zip) to read or edit the animation.
How do I make a .tgs sticker for Telegram?
Create a Lottie animation (e.g. After Effects + Bodymovin, or LottieFiles) within Telegram's limits - 512x512, up to ~3 seconds, restricted features - then export/compress it to .tgs using a tool like python-lottie or utils.tg and upload it via Telegram's @Stickers bot.
Is .tgs related to phylogenetic trees / GeneStudio?
Historically, yes - .tgs was also a GeneStudio 'GSTree' phylogenetic-tree file in the (now discontinued) GeneStudio biology software. But that meaning is obsolete; today nearly all .tgs files are Telegram animated stickers.
References
1Lottie (Airbnb) - the underlying animation formatairbnb.io
2Telegram - Animated Stickers announcement / docstelegram.org
