Optimize a GIF for Smaller Files and Faster Loading

Q: How do I get a GIF under a specific size limit?

There is no target-size field, so work in steps: lower Colors, run the tool and read the size on the result card. If the file is still too big once banding starts to show, lower the % slider instead. If the place you are posting to accepts video, try GIF to MP4. Video encoding can use similarities between frames to reduce the file size; compare the actual result with the GIF.

Optimize GIF Settings

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How this GIF optimizer reduces file size

Optimize an animated GIF by adjusting the color palette, dimensions and compression level, with an option to remove duplicate frames. A smaller palette can help simple graphics but may cause banding in gradients or photos. Compare the animation after processing to check timing and detail. The available reduction depends on how efficiently the original GIF was already encoded.

Cost: Free to use. File size and usage limits apply.

How to reduce a GIF's file size

Add your GIF
Click Choose file or drop a GIF onto the preview. Each job takes one GIF of up to 200 MB. GIFs you uploaded or created with other tools on this site in the same browser are listed under Uploads.
Set the number of colors
Drag the Colors slider below the preview (16 to 256, default 128) or type a value from 4 to 256 into the number field next to it. Pick a compression level above it, and use the % slider if the GIF may also get smaller in px.
Click Optimize GIF
Your GIF is processed on our server. When it finishes, the preview switches to the optimized GIF and the result card shows the new file size.
Compare, then download
Check gradients, skin tones and small text first; they show color loss earliest. Compare the sizes of the original and the result in Uploads, then click Download. Adjust returns to the settings, and each new run starts from your original upload, so the losses do not add up.

What each control does

Colors has the biggest effect on image quality; the other controls fine-tune size and dimensions.

Colors (default 128): Sets the largest palette the whole animation may use: 16 to 256 on the slider, 4 to 256 when typed. One palette entry is kept for transparency, so 128 allows up to 127 visible colors. Fewer colors may reduce file size and can make banding visible. Even if the source already uses fewer colors than your limit, compare the re-encoded image and actual size with the original.
Low compression, Medium compression, High compression and Extreme compression: Medium compression is preselected. The levels set how hard the GIF is compressed: Low compression keeps more detail, while Extreme compression applies stronger compression with more visible color loss. The final size depends on the source. Combine a level with Colors to find the balance you need.
% slider (default 100%): Scales the GIF down from 100% (original size) to 50%. At 50%, a 960 × 540 px GIF becomes 480 × 270 px and has only a quarter of the pixels. The preview shows the new size before you start.
Remove duplicate frames (on by default): Found in the 1. Settings panel. When it is on, a frame that is identical to the one before it is dropped and its display time is added to the previous frame, so the animation plays at the same speed with fewer frames. Turn it off to keep every frame.

Which Colors value to start with

These ranges are rules of thumb. Judge the result by eye at full size and adjust from there.

Logos, stickers and pixel art: 16–32

Flat artwork with few distinct colors survives heavy reduction. Type a lower value if the artwork uses only a handful of colors; soft, anti-aliased edges are where steps appear first.

Screen recordings and UI demos: 64–128

Interfaces are mostly flat areas and sharp text. The default of 128 is usually enough; try 64 and check that icons and text edges still look clean.

Video clips, photos and gradients: 192–256

Skies, skin and shadows need many shades, and low values can turn them into visible bands. Start with 192–256 and compare the result. Lower % if you also need fewer pixels; the saving depends on the source and settings.

What the optimizer does to an animated GIF

All frames are decoded, and one palette is built from the colors of the whole animation, limited to your Colors value. Every frame is then redrawn with that shared palette. A GIF that cuts between scenes with very different colors has to split one palette between them, so it loses detail at a higher value than a GIF with a consistent color scheme.

Shades missing from the palette are approximated with ordered (Bayer) dithering at its faintest setting, so smooth gradients tend to show steps rather than a dot pattern. Because the pattern is tied to pixel positions, a static background stays identical from frame to frame, and the GIF only has to store the areas that change.

As a rule of thumb, the number of pixels and frames affects GIF size more than the palette. If the file has to shrink a lot, lower the % slider as well: a 480 × 270 px GIF has a quarter of the pixels of a 960 × 540 px one. For exact dimensions in px, use Resize GIF.

Formats and limits

Input format: GIF only, animated or single-frame. Convert other formats to GIF first.
Output format: GIF, at the original width and height or scaled down with the % slider
Maximum file size: 200 MB per GIF
Files per job: 1
Processing: On our servers with FFmpeg. A job can run for up to 15 minutes.
Frame timing: Frame delays are kept, including a longer pause on the last frame.
Looping: Kept. A GIF that plays once or a set number of times keeps that setting; an endless loop stays endless.
Transparency: Kept. One palette entry is reserved for it.
Comments: Text comments stored inside the GIF are not copied.
Watermark: None
Storage: Uploads and results are deleted automatically after 48 hours for guests and after 30 days for free accounts. Paid plans can keep files longer.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the optimized GIF larger than the original?

Every frame is redrawn with a new palette and new dithering. If the original was already optimized, for example with a tuned palette or lossy GIF compression, or if it already uses fewer colors than your Colors value, the result can come out the same size or slightly larger. It is saved as the result anyway, so compare both sizes in Uploads. Then lower Colors clearly or reduce the % slider.

How do I get a GIF under a specific size limit?

There is no target-size field, so work in steps: lower Colors, run the tool and read the size on the result card. If the file is still too big once banding starts to show, lower the % slider instead. If the place you are posting to accepts video, try GIF to MP4. Video encoding can use similarities between frames to reduce the file size; compare the actual result with the GIF.

What is the difference from Compress GIF?

Compress GIF runs the same color reduction, but you choose a percentage from 1% to 100%, which it turns into 34 to 256 colors. Here you set the number directly and can go down to 4, which suits flat logos and pixel art.

Is my GIF sent to any other service?

No. Your GIF is uploaded to our servers and processed there with FFmpeg; no AI or third-party service receives it. Uploads and results are deleted automatically after 48 hours for guests and after 30 days for free accounts, and paid plans can keep files longer.