Why convert GIF to PNG
GIF is an old format with a hard limit of 256 colours per frame, which is why photographs saved as GIF look banded and speckled. PNG has no such limit and compresses better for the same still image, so for a static graphic the conversion is a clear improvement. The catch is animation: GIF's other well-known feature has no equivalent in PNG.
What this conversion costs you
- Animation is lost — permanently. Only the first frame is converted. An animated GIF becomes a single still image, and there is no way to recover the remaining frames from the result. If you need the animation, keep the GIF or convert it to a video format instead.
- Nothing else. Colour is expanded rather than reduced, and PNG is lossless, so the still frame itself loses nothing in this direction.
When not to do this
Do not convert an animated GIF you intend to keep animated. Check whether the file moves before converting, and keep the original either way.
Common questions
Does converting GIF to PNG keep the animation?
No. PNG holds a single still image, so only the first frame survives. The animation cannot be recovered from the converted file, so keep the original GIF.
Why does my GIF photograph look speckled?
GIF allows only 256 colours per frame. Photographs need far more, so the encoder approximates with dithering, which shows up as visible speckling and banding.
Is PNG better than GIF for still images?
For a still image, yes. PNG supports full colour, compresses better, and offers proper alpha transparency rather than GIF's single fully-transparent colour.