What is a .gif file? (GIF)

GIF is the classic format for short looping animations and simple graphics. It is limited to 256 colours per frame, which makes it a poor fit for photos, but its universal support keeps it alive for memes and simple animated clips.

What is a .gif file used for?

A GIF can hold many frames plus timing, giving it silent, looping animation that plays in any browser or chat app. That is its lasting appeal.

The 256-colour palette limit means photographs look banded and files get surprisingly large. For animation, modern formats like WebP, AVIF or short MP4 clips are smaller and sharper.

GIF also supports a single fully transparent colour, which is coarser than PNG's smooth alpha.

How to open a .gif file

The .gif format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .gif file.

Windows

Photos
any browser
IrfanView

macOS

Preview
Safari
any browser

Linux

Image Viewer
any browser

Web

Every browser

How to convert a .gif file

You can convert a .gif file to PNG, WebP, MP4 using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.

Convert images free: ImageConvert

.gif file signature (magic bytes)

Programs recognise a .gif file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for GIF. For a full breakdown, see the GIF file signature page.

Hex signature	Offset	Note
47 49 46 38 39 61	0	GIF89a
47 49 46 38 37 61	0	GIF87a

See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.

Frequently asked questions

What is a .gif file?

Why does my GIF look grainy?

GIF allows only 256 colours per frame, so photographs and gradients band badly. Convert to WebP or MP4 for smooth colour.

Can a GIF have sound?

No. GIF is silent by design. For animation with audio, use MP4 or WebM.

Comparisons

Related formats

Sources

Details on this page were checked against authoritative references:

Wikipedia: GIF