Convert GIF to MP4
Convert an animated GIF to MP4 — typically a tenth of the size.
Drop your file here
Processed securely and deleted within the hour.
Usually a tenfold saving
GIF stores each frame almost independently. Video codecs store only what changed between frames, which for an animation — where most of the picture is static — is a colossal difference. Converting a GIF to MP4 routinely cuts the file by 90% or more, at better visual quality.
The quality improves as well as the size, because GIF is limited to 256 colours while MP4 carries millions. A converted GIF frequently looks better than the original, with the banding in gradients disappearing entirely.
Why bother
Mostly page weight. A 12 MB GIF on a web page is 12 MB every visitor downloads; the same animation as a 600 KB MP4 with autoplay muted loop playsinline looks identical and loads instantly. Most large platforms already convert GIFs to video behind the scenes for exactly this reason.
What you lose
GIF works anywhere an image works — inside an email, in a document, anywhere that accepts images but not video. Video does not. If that is where the animation is going, keep the GIF.
Odd dimensions
H.264 requires both dimensions to be even, and GIFs frequently are not. Such a video would fail to encode entirely, so dimensions are trimmed by a pixel where needed — invisible in practice, and the reason this conversion fails on other tools.
The other direction
Video to GIF converts back, with a palette generated from your actual frames to minimise the colour loss.
Where the saving comes from
It is worth understanding why the difference is so large, because it explains when it will not be. A GIF of a static scene with a small moving element compresses spectacularly, since almost nothing changes between frames and a video codec stores almost nothing. A GIF where the whole frame changes constantly — a fast pan, heavy noise, a hard cut every few frames — has far less redundancy to exploit, and the saving is smaller. It is still a saving, just not a tenfold one.
Common questions
How much smaller will it be?
Usually 90% or more. Video codecs store only what changes between frames; GIF stores each frame.
Will it look worse?
Usually better. MP4 carries millions of colours against GIF's 256, so banding often disappears.
Will it play automatically?
On a web page, with autoplay muted loop playsinline. In email, no — keep the GIF there.
Does it have sound?
No. GIFs have no audio, so there is none to carry over.
Why do other converters fail on my GIF?
H.264 needs even dimensions and many GIFs have odd ones. This trims a pixel where needed.
Is the animation preserved?
Yes, including the frame timing and the loop.