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Convert GIF to WebP – Keep Animation, Shrink File Size

Transform bulky animated GIFs into efficient WebP format. Get up to 64% smaller files with better color depth and preserved animation timing.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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Why Your GIFs Are Slowing Down Your Website

That animated GIF on your page might look great, but it's killing your load time. GIF's 1987-era compression creates bloated files—a typical 5-second animation can easily hit 2-3MB. On mobile networks, that's a noticeable delay.

WebP uses modern VP8 video compression adapted for images, delivering the same animation in a fraction of the file size. In our testing, animated GIF files converted to lossy WebP are 64% smaller on average, while lossless WebP still saves 19%.

How to Convert GIF to WebP

  1. Upload your GIF file – Drag and drop or select your animated or static GIF
  2. Confirm WebP output – Animation and timing are automatically preserved
  3. Download your WebP – Get a dramatically smaller file ready for the web

Conversion happens entirely in your browser. Your animations never leave your device, and there's no quality loss during the process.

GIF vs WebP: Why the File Size Difference?

The technical reasons WebP outperforms GIF for animations:

  • Compression – GIF uses LZW (lossless only). WebP uses VP8 with both lossy and lossless options
  • Color depth – GIF: 256 colors (8-bit). WebP: 16.7 million colors (24-bit)
  • Transparency – GIF: Binary only (on/off). WebP: Full alpha channel (256 levels)
  • Frame optimization – WebP encodes only changed pixels between frames more efficiently

Real-world example: A 2.26MB GIF converts to a 740KB WebP—67% reduction with no visible quality loss.

When You Need GIF to WebP Conversion

Website Performance Optimization

Page speed directly affects SEO rankings and user experience. Converting your animated GIFs to WebP can shave seconds off load times, especially on mobile. Google's Core Web Vitals will thank you.

Social Media and Messaging Apps

Many platforms now support WebP. Converting before upload means faster uploads, less data usage, and often better quality after the platform's compression.

Email Marketing

Animated images in emails eat through recipient bandwidth. Smaller WebP animations load faster and are less likely to be blocked by email clients with size limits.

App Development

Mobile apps with animated elements benefit massively from WebP. Smaller files mean faster app downloads, less storage use, and smoother animation playback on lower-end devices.

What About Animation Timing?

This is where many converters fail. A quality GIF to WebP conversion must preserve exact frame timing—each frame's display duration needs to match the original. Our converter maintains:

  • Frame delays – Each frame plays for exactly the same duration as the original
  • Loop count – Infinite loops, single plays, or specific counts are preserved
  • Frame order – No dropped or reordered frames

Your animation plays identically—just in a much smaller package.

Choose WebP When:

  • File size matters – Web pages, apps, anywhere bandwidth is precious
  • You need better colors – Gradients and photos look far better in WebP's 24-bit color
  • Transparency must be smooth – Alpha channel eliminates GIF's jagged transparency edges
  • Modern browser support is sufficient – Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge all support animated WebP

Keep GIF When:

  • Maximum compatibility is required – Legacy systems, ancient browsers, or platforms that don't support WebP
  • The recipient's software matters – Some image viewers and editors still don't handle WebP well
  • Simple graphics with few colors – If your GIF is already tiny, conversion won't help much

Browser Support in 2025

Animated WebP is now supported across all major browsers:

  • Chrome – Full support since 2014
  • Firefox – Full support since 2019
  • Safari – Full support since macOS Big Sur and iOS 14 (2020)
  • Edge – Full support (Chromium-based)

For the rare legacy browser, you can serve GIF as a fallback using the HTML picture element.

Batch Convert Multiple GIFs

Optimizing an entire website's animations? Upload multiple GIF files and convert them all to WebP format in one batch. Perfect for site migrations, content management updates, or bulk optimization projects.

Works on Any Device

Convert GIF to WebP directly in your browser:

  • Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • iPhone, iPad, Android

No software to install, no account required. Your files stay private on your device throughout the conversion.

Pro Tip

For website animations, use lossy WebP at 80% quality. The 64% size reduction is worth it, and the quality difference is imperceptible on animated content where frames change rapidly.

Common Mistake

Users often convert to lossless WebP expecting huge savings. Lossless only saves about 19% over GIF. For significant reduction, use lossy encoding—the quality loss is invisible in motion.

Best For

Website performance optimization where animated GIFs are causing slow page loads. Also ideal for app developers who need smaller animation files without sacrificing quality.

Not Recommended

Don't convert if your GIF will be used on platforms that don't support WebP (some older CMS systems, legacy email clients). Also skip conversion for already-tiny GIFs under 50KB.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. WebP fully supports animation with exact frame timing preservation. Your animation plays identically to the original GIF, just with a much smaller file size.

Lossy WebP is typically 64% smaller than the equivalent GIF. Lossless WebP saves about 19%. A 2MB GIF commonly becomes 700KB-800KB in WebP format.

Yes, as of 2020. Chrome, Firefox, Safari (14+), and Edge all support animated WebP. Only Internet Explorer and very old browser versions lack support.

No quality loss. WebP actually supports better quality with 24-bit color versus GIF's 256 colors. You gain color depth and alpha transparency while reducing file size.

GIF uses LZW compression from 1987. WebP uses VP8 video compression technology that analyzes frame differences more efficiently. The algorithm difference accounts for the massive size reduction.

Yes, the conversion is reversible. However, converting back to GIF will increase file size and reduce color depth to 256 colors. Keep your original if you need GIF format later.

WebP supports better transparency. GIF only has binary transparency (fully transparent or fully opaque). WebP has full alpha channel with 256 transparency levels for smooth edges.

For web use, lossy at 75-85% quality gives excellent results with maximum size savings. Use lossless only when you need pixel-perfect preservation and don't mind larger files.

No. Quality converters preserve exact frame delays from the original GIF. Each frame displays for precisely the same duration, maintaining identical animation speed and rhythm.

For file size, yes. WebP animations are smaller than APNG. Both support 24-bit color and alpha transparency. Choose WebP for smaller files, APNG for slightly better editor compatibility.

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