Free browser tool

GIF Compressor

Choose a target file size and compress your GIF on your own device. The tool lowers colors, dimensions and frame count in small steps, then reports whether the result fits. Keep the original in case you want a gentler setting.

  • Runs in your browser — files never upload
  • Fast, no queue
  • Free, no sign-up
  • No added watermark
Drop a GIF here, or click to choosePaste works too · Your file stays on this device

How it works

How to compress a GIF

  1. 11

    Add your GIF

    Drag it in, click to browse, or paste it. The file is read on your device and never uploaded. Use this GIF size reducer when the animation looks right but its file is too large.

  2. 22

    Choose a target size

    Pick a preset or enter a custom target in KiB. For a regular Discord attachment on a free account, start with 19,000 KiB. The platform table below lists other destinations.

  3. 33

    Compress and download

    We try the gentlest settings first and stop as soon as the GIF fits, then report the actual output and whether the target was reached. Preview the motion after GIF compression, especially small text and gradients.

Good to know

GIF size limits, alternatives and fixes

GIF size limits for Discord, Slack, X, GitHub and email

To compress GIF files for sharing, choose your destination below. These figures cover ordinary attachments and posts, rather than custom emoji or stickers.

GIF file upload limits
Upload destinationPublished limitHow to use itChecked / official source
Discord · regular attachment, free account20 MB per fileNitro Basic: 50 MB; Nitro: up to 1 GB. Emoji and stickers use separate limits.
File Attachments FAQ
Slack · channel or DM file1 GB per fileThis is the attachment limit; custom emoji and image previews have separate requirements.
Add files to Slack
X · animated GIF in a post5 MB mobile / 15 MB webUse a custom target of 4,800 KiB for mobile or 14,000 KiB for web to leave room below the limit.
Post photos or GIFs
GitHub · image attachment in an issue or pull request10 MB per GIFUse 9,500 KiB as a starting target. Repository file uploads follow different rules.
Attaching files
Email · personal Gmail attachment25 MB total attachmentsLeave room for other attachments. Larger totals become Drive links. Work, school and other email services have their own limits.
Send attachments with Gmail

Discord’s newer attachment FAQ lists 20 MB, while its older image-upload guide still says 10 MB. If your uploader shows 10 MB, use 9,500 KiB. Discord also runs upload-limit experiments.

The table keeps the providers’ MB/GB labels. This tool uses KiB/MiB: 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes and 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes. For Discord’s 20 MB limit, enter 19,000 KiB (19,456,000 bytes) as a starting target, then read the actual output size. The 20 MiB preset is larger than 20 million bytes. Presets set file-size targets; platform checks happen when you upload.

When another format may help

If your destination accepts MP4, compare a video export from a separate editor. Video formats often use less data for the same animation; see Google’s GIF-to-video comparison.

If your GIF won’t get small enough

Very small targets such as 128 KiB or 256 KiB need a small, short GIF. When you compress animated GIF content, both the frame dimensions and the amount of motion matter. Try these in order:

  • Resize first: choose the actual display dimensions with the GIF Resizer and then compress.
  • Prepare a shorter source in another editor if needed. This tool does not provide a timeline trimmer.
  • Prefer simple scenes: flat colors and a still background compress far better than film grain or camera shake.
  • Adjust rhythm separately: the GIF Speed Changer can shorten playback, but speed alone need not reduce file size.

What you give up when you compress

Each step trades a little quality for size. Fewer colors can add banding to skies and skin; scaling down makes text harder to read; dropping frames makes motion slightly choppier. The compressor tries progressively stronger settings toward your target, and the result panel shows the new file size, dimensions, frame count and duration so you can judge.

If the result looks too rough, pick a slightly larger target or resize the GIF yourself, then compress again — smaller dimensions usually look better than heavy color reduction.

Compare

Choose a size-reduction step

FeatureCompressResizeChange speed
ChangesColors, dimensions and possibly frame countWidth / height or centered square cropFrame delays and direction
File-size targetTries a target; may not reach itNo byte-size guaranteeShorter duration need not mean fewer bytes
Cost / processingFree, local, no new watermarkFree, local, no new watermarkFree, local, no new watermark

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does the GIF compressor decide what to change?

It tries progressively stronger settings: fewer colors, smaller dimensions and fewer frames with their playback delays combined. It stops at the first candidate that fits your target. If none fits, it returns the smallest candidate and shows how far it is above the target.

What size GIF for Discord?

Discord’s File Attachments FAQ lists 20 MB per regular upload for free accounts, checked November 8, 2026. Start with a custom target of 19,000 KiB here, compress, then read the output size. Nitro Basic allows 50 MB and Nitro up to 1 GB. If your uploader shows 10 MB, use 9,500 KiB. Emoji and stickers have separate limits; official links are in the table above.

Is my GIF uploaded anywhere?

No. The compressor runs inside your browser using a background worker. The GIF never leaves your device, which also means there is no queue and processing is limited by device memory and the decoder pixel budget; very large animations may be scaled while reading.

Why didn’t my GIF reach the target size?

Some GIFs are long, large and full of motion, so even our strongest step (30% of the width, 32 colors, every fourth frame) is still above a tiny target such as 256 KiB. In that case you get the smallest version we could make. Cutting the clip shorter or resizing it to 128–320 px first may help.

Will compression change how long my GIF plays?

Dropped frames add their delay to a retained frame, preserving the decoded duration. Very short source delays may be clamped during decoding, and viewers can interpret timing differently. The result panel reads the original and exported file durations so you can compare them.

Does the compressor keep transparency and looping?

The original loop setting is retained. Transparency is encoded as fully transparent or opaque pixels; palette reduction and scaling can alter fine edges. Inspect on light and dark backgrounds.

Is the GIF compressor free? Is there a watermark?

It is completely free with no daily limit and no added watermark, because the work happens on your own device and does not use AI generation credits.

Can I use the compressed GIF commercially?

Yes — we add nothing to your file and claim no rights to it. You only need the rights to the original GIF you compressed.

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