GIF Compressor
Make an animation lighter and compare the result before downloading.
Drop your file hereTap to choose a file
or click to browse, or paste from the clipboard
GIF
Max file size: 16 MiB
Palette control
Limit the animation to 256, 128, 64 or 32 colors. Fewer colors usually mean a smaller file, while the dimensions, frame count and speed stay as they are.
Target a file size
Enter a target in KiB and the encoder tries smaller palettes, down to 16 colors, until the file fits. It keeps the smallest result it produced and tells you whether the target was met or exceeded.
Preview and compare
Open the animation preview and read the pixel size, the original and new file sizes and the percentage change before you download anything.
How to compress an animated GIF
- 1
Choose an animated or still GIF up to 16 MiB.
- 2
Choose the maximum number of colors and, if you have a limit to meet, enter a target size in KiB.
- 3
Convert the GIF and open its animation preview.
- 4
Compare the original and new sizes, then download the result or try a smaller palette.
What people use this tool for
- Get a GIF under the size limit of a chat app, forum or upload form.
- Lighten the animations on a web page or in an email.
- Compare 128, 64 and 32 colors for a product demo or tutorial animation.
- Shrink a reaction GIF or sticker before sharing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compress a GIF?
Choose the GIF, pick a maximum number of colors and convert. 128 is the default and a good first try. The result shows the old and new sizes and the percentage change, with a preview of the animation. If the file is still too large, try 64 or 32 colors, or enter a target size.
What does the target size do?
It gives the encoder a goal in KiB, from 1 to 16,384. Starting from your chosen color count, it tries up to two smaller palettes, ending at 16 colors, and stops as soon as the file fits. If no attempt fits, you still get the smallest one, marked as exceeding the target.
How much smaller will my GIF get?
It depends on the image. Animations made from photos or video, with many shades, tend to shrink the most when colors are removed. Flat graphics that already use few colors change little, and a GIF that another tool has optimized can even come out larger, because every frame is re-encoded. Compare the two sizes and keep the original if it is smaller.
Will the compressed GIF look worse?
Reducing colors is a lossy step. At 128 colors many animations look close to the original. At 64 and 32, smooth gradients and skin tones can show visible bands, because the compressor does not add dithering. Open the preview before you download, and go back up to a larger palette if the banding is distracting.
Does it change the size, speed or looping?
No. The width, height, number of frames, frame timing and loop count are kept, and transparent areas stay transparent. The compressor does not drop frames or crop. To reduce the dimensions, which often saves more than a smaller palette does, use Animated GIF Resizer first and then compress the result.
How large can my file be?
Up to 16 MiB, 4,096 pixels per side and 300 frames, with at most 16 million pixels across all frames. That last limit is the one people meet first: a 480 × 270 GIF can have about 120 frames, and an 800 × 600 GIF about 33. Processing has to finish within one minute.
How do I get a GIF under an upload limit?
Enter the limit as the target, for example 8192 KiB for 8 MiB or 256 KiB for a small sticker. If the target is still exceeded at 16 colors, reduce the dimensions with Animated GIF Resizer or shorten the animation, then compress again. For a much smaller file, GIF to MP4 turns the animation into a video.
Where is the GIF processed, and when is it deleted?
On Zutilium's server, so the GIF is uploaded when you convert. After a successful conversion the upload is scheduled for deletion after about one minute and the result after about ten minutes. Cleanup runs once a minute, so removal is not instant. Download the compressed GIF promptly.