A GIF that's just over an upload limit
A small cut in length and frame rate often gets it under the line, and nobody notices the difference.
Compress GIF Files
Need a GIF smaller? Change the length, width, frame rate or quality and watch the size estimate move before you convert anything. No guessing.
- Slightly too big for an upload
- Needs to be much smaller
- Screen recording or UI
How GIF compression actually works
GIFs are already compressed, so there's no magic slider that makes one smaller for free. What works is taking stuff out: seconds nobody needs, pixels nobody will miss, frames that look just like the one before, and colours the picture can live without.
Start with the length, because that one costs you nothing in quality. Then bring the width down, which shrinks every single frame. After that, lower the frame rate (10fps is fine for slideshows and screen recordings), and only then drop quality to Balanced or Smallest.
If you've done all that and it's still too big, the format is the problem, not your settings. The same clip as WebP or MP4 is usually many times smaller than any GIF you could squeeze out.
- 1
Add your GIF
Drop it in or paste it. The estimate shows up straight away.
- 2
Trim the loop
Cut the seconds you don't need. It's the biggest saving, and it's free.
- 3
Lower width and frame rate
Try 320 to 480px and 10fps, and watch how much each change saves.
- 4
Convert and compare
Download it and put it next to the original. Still too big? Try WebP or MP4.
Settings that work for common jobs
Treat these as a first try, not a rule. The size estimate tells you quickly whether to nudge them up or down.
| If you're making | Try | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Slightly too big for an upload | Same width · 10fps · Balanced | A gentle cut that most people won't notice. |
| Needs to be much smaller | 320px · 10fps · Smallest · shorter | Turns every dial down at once. |
| Screen recording or UI | 480px · 10fps · Smallest | Flat colours squash down really well. |
| Photographic clip | 480px · 15fps · Balanced | Keeps skies and skin smoother than Smallest would. |
Where this comes in handy
A page that loads slowly
Shrinking the GIFs near the top of a page is one of the quickest ways to make it feel faster.
Email and chat attachments
Plenty of inboxes and chat apps refuse or slow down big attachments. A lighter GIF just gets through.
Common mistakes, and what to do instead
- Dropping the quality firstCut seconds first, then width, then frame rate. Quality is the last thing you should give up.
- Compressing the same file over and overEvery pass loses a bit more. Go back to the original and change several settings in one go.
- Sticking with GIF when you don't have toIf wherever it's going supports WebP or MP4, you'll save far more by switching than by tweaking.
Common problems and quick fixes
The compressed GIF looks banded
Smallest quality only uses 64 colours. Go back to Balanced, and cut the width or length instead.
It's barely smaller than before
The original might already be well optimised. Change a few settings together, or move to WebP or MP4.
The motion looks choppy
The frame rate's too low for fast movement. Put it back to 15fps and lower the width instead.
I can't get under my limit
Use Fit to 8 MB in the Format tab. If even that can't manage it, shorten the clip or switch formats.
What it looks like
These are real screenshots from this site, taken with a demo clip. Your own file will give different sizes, but the controls are exactly these.
Which format to choose
If squeezing the GIF isn't getting you there, changing the format is the strongest move you've got.
| Format | For this clip | Typical size | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| WebPSuggested | Same loop, full colour, and usually the biggest saving you'll find. | About 5× smaller | Full colour, animated, loops |
| GIF | It stays a GIF, so it works everywhere. There's just a floor to how small it can go. | Largest | 256 colours, up to 720px and 20fps |
| MP4 | The smallest of all, as long as wherever it's going can play video. | About 15× smaller | Up to 1080px and 30fps, no loop flag |
| APNG | Wrong tool for this job. Lossless frames make bigger files, not smaller ones. | Larger than GIF | Lossless, full colour, loops |
Compress GIF questions
Can’t find yours? The converter explains problems in plain language as they come up.
How much can I shrink a GIF?
It depends on the clip. Cutting the length and width gives you the biggest savings. Switching to WebP or MP4 is usually smaller still, often by a lot.
Will compressing make my GIF blurry?
A smaller width makes it smaller on screen, not blurry at that size. Smallest quality uses fewer colours though, so gradients can get a bit stripy.
Is there a size limit?
Uploads can be up to 100 MB, and results up to 60 seconds.
Can I keep the same dimensions?
Yes. Leave the width alone and lower the frame rate or quality instead, or trim the length.
Can I undo it later?
No, compression throws information away, so keep your original. Every conversion here starts from the file you upload, so you can always go back to it.
Other conversions
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