GIF to HDR Converter
Convert GIF to HDR in your browser. GIF files usually come from reaction clips, memes, old websites and screen recordings; HDR is the better fit for 3D lighting and environment maps. You get a Radiance RGBE (.hdr) file, with the 8-bit sRGB values converted to linear light. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
GIF expected · other image formats also work
How to use GIF to HDR
- 1
Add your GIF files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since HDR has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .hdr files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for gif to hdr
Where the HDR goes next
HDR opens in Blender, Photoshop, Houdini, Unreal Engine, Unity and Affinity Photo.
HDR next to GIF
Both sides are lossless, so the size depends on how well the HDR encoder handles this picture compared with the GIF's lossless LZW over a palette of at most 256 colours.
Written without a lossy pass
The HDR is written losslessly, so the pixels decoded from the GIF arrive unchanged.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
GIF vs HDR
What changes from GIF to HDR
Encoding: the GIF uses lossless LZW over a palette of at most 256 colours; HDR uses run-length encoded RGBE scanlines, and the download is a Radiance RGBE (.hdr) file, with the 8-bit sRGB values converted to linear light.
Bit depth: 8 bits per pixel, as indexes into a palette in the GIF; HDR allows an 8-bit mantissa per channel sharing an 8-bit exponent (RGBE), 32 bits per pixel, and the HDR written here has RGBE, 32 bits per pixel.
Colour: an indexed palette of up to 256 colours per frame in the GIF; HDR supports linear RGB (or XYZ in the XYZE variant), written here as linear-light RGB.
Transparency: the GIF stores it as one palette entry marked transparent, so each pixel is either fully shown or fully hidden; the HDR has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Animation: image blocks with their own delay and disposal method, looped by the NETSCAPE2.0 extension; the HDR holds one image, so only the first frame is converted.
Metadata: the GIF can carry comment and application extension blocks, but no EXIF; HDR can carry a text header with FORMAT, EXPOSURE and optional comments, but nothing is copied across.
About GIF
GIF is the classic animated image format. It is limited to 256 colours per frame and 1-bit transparency, so photos look grainy and files are large, but it plays everywhere.
A GIF starts with 'GIF89a' (or the older 87a), a logical screen descriptor and an optional global colour table, then image blocks, each preceded by a graphic control extension that sets its delay and transparent colour.
GIF files usually come from reaction clips, memes, old websites and screen recordings.
About HDR
Radiance .hdr stores high dynamic range light values, widely used for 3D environment maps and HDRI lighting.
A Radiance file starts with '#?RADIANCE' (or '#?RGBE'), text lines such as FORMAT=32-bit_rle_rgbe and EXPOSURE, a blank line, a resolution line like '-Y 2048 +X 4096', then the scanlines.
When converting GIF to HDR makes sense
HDR is the better choice for 3D lighting and environment maps, while GIF suits short animations and reactions that must play everywhere.
HDR strengths: True high dynamic range; Standard for HDRI environment maps. Drawbacks to weigh: Needs tone mapping to view on normal screens.
Limitations
- The 256-colour palette is already applied, so a full-colour target cannot bring back gradients the GIF flattened into bands.
- No range is added: the HDR holds the 8-bit picture in linear light, and nothing in it is brighter than the original white.
- 3D software treats the file as linear light, so an ordinary photo used as an environment map may need its exposure raised to light a scene well.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting GIF to HDR lose quality?
HDR is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded.
What happens to transparency when converting GIF to HDR?
GIF stores transparency as one palette entry marked transparent, so each pixel is either fully shown or fully hidden. HDR has no alpha channel, so transparent pixels are composited onto a solid colour, white unless you pick another. To keep transparency, convert to PNG, WebP or AVIF instead.
Will my animated GIF stay animated?
No. HDR holds a single image, so only the first frame is kept. Convert to animated WebP, APNG or GIF to keep the motion, or export every frame with the GIF Frame Extractor.
Does saving as HDR make a real HDRI?
No. A real HDRI is merged from several exposures. This file holds an 8-bit image in linear light, so 3D software reads it correctly, but it has no more range than the source.
Which apps open HDR files?
Blender, Photoshop, Houdini, Unreal Engine, Unity and Affinity Photo. It does not open in web browsers.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.