GIF is an animated image format limited to 256 colours per frame — technically outdated, but still the default way people share short, looping animations online.
Safe format
Type Image
By CompuServe
MIMEimage/gif
Drop any file to identify it
We read file headers, not extensions. Nothing gets uploaded.
GIF is an animated image format limited to 256 colours per frame — technically outdated, but still the default way people share short, looping animations online. The format that refuses to die. CompuServe introduced GIF in 1987 — before the World Wide Web existed — and it's still everywhere. The pronunciation debate (hard G vs. soft G) has outlasted entire technology companies. GIF's secret is simplicity: it works everywhere, no codec required, no play button to tap. The limitation is equally simple: 256 colours per frame. That's why GIFs look grainy and banded compared to modern video. A five-second GIF can easily be 10MB where an equivalent MP4 would be 500KB. WebP and AVIF can do everything GIF does, better and smaller. But none of them have the cultural momentum. GIF is the cockroach of image formats — technically inferior, practically immortal.
Technical details
Full Name
Graphics Interchange Format
MIME Type
image/gif
Developer
CompuServe
Magic Bytes
47 49 46 38
Safety
.gif is a known, safe format.
What opens it
Every browser and image viewer
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FAQ
Is it pronounced GIF or JIF?
The creator said 'JIF' but most people say 'GIF' with a hard G. Both are widely used. This is not a hill worth dying on.
Should I use a GIF or a video?
Video (MP4), almost always. A 5-second GIF can easily be 10MB, while the same clip as MP4 might be 500KB with better colour and resolution. Use <a href="https://fwip.app/tools/gif-to-mp4/">fwip</a> to convert GIFs to MP4. The only advantage of GIF is that it autoplays and loops everywhere without a video player.
How do I make a GIF?
Most GIFs are made from short video clips. Screen recording tools like ShareX (Windows) or the built-in screen recorder (macOS) can export directly to GIF. Online tools and apps like GIPHY, Imgur, and ffmpeg can also convert video clips to GIF.
Why are GIF files so large?
GIF stores each frame as a full image with minimal compression and only 256 colours, so it uses dithering patterns that compress poorly. A short animation can be tens of megabytes. Converting to MP4 or WebP typically reduces file size by 90% or more.