GIF

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a raster image format introduced by CompuServe in 1987. The GIF89a revision from 1989 added the extensions used for animation and transparency. Files use the .gif extension and the MIME type image/gif.

Each GIF frame uses a palette of up to 256 colors and LZW compression, which is lossless for the palette image. Transparency is binary: one palette entry can be marked fully transparent. Animated GIFs store a delay for each frame in hundredths of a second, plus a loop count.

GIF plays almost everywhere without a video player, which keeps it common in chats, issue trackers and documentation.

How GIF works

A full-color image must first be reduced to 256 colors per frame. The encoder chooses a palette and often adds dithering, a pattern of mixed pixels that imitates missing colors. The palette image is then compressed with LZW. Animation stores each frame, or the changed area of each frame, one after another.

GIF vs video (MP4, WebM)

	GIF	MP4 or WebM
Colors	256 per frame	Millions
File size for motion	Large	Much smaller
Autoplay without controls	Yes, in most places	Depends on the site
Sound	No	Optional

When to use GIF

GIF suits short loops of interface steps with flat colors, such as a 5 second animation of a menu opening. For longer recordings, photos or gradients, MP4 gives smaller files and better color.

In Temposhot, Export settings… on the export bar offers GIF with a frame delay of 0.04, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 or 1 second. Capture History also has a GIF action for each session. MP4 export runs at 5, 10, 15, 24, 30 or 60 fps.

Common mistakes

• Exporting long recordings as GIF and producing very large files.
• Using GIF for photos or gradients, which show banding and dither noise.
• Setting a frame delay so short that readers cannot follow each step.
• Expecting smooth transparent edges. GIF has no partial transparency.

Have an image to fix right now?

Turn a set of images into an animation with Images to GIF, or into a video with Images to Video.

Common questions

Is GIF lossless?

LZW compression is lossless, but reducing a full-color image to 256 colors loses information.

Which frame delay should I use for step-by-step screenshots?

0.5 or 1 second per frame gives readers time to see each step.

Sources

• GIF89a specification (W3C)
• GIF (Wikipedia)

Related resources

• Export formats: GIF, MP4 and image exports.
• Previous sessions: export a GIF from Capture History.