PSD to GIF Converter
Convert PSD to GIF in your browser. PSD files usually come from Photoshop and apps that save Photoshop documents, such as Affinity Photo, GIMP, Photopea and Krita; GIF is the better fit for short animations and reactions that must play everywhere. You get a GIF with an optimised palette of up to 256 colours per frame, dithered. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
PSD expected · other image formats also work
How to use PSD to GIF
- 1
Add your PSD files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the GIF is written losslessly. Resizing and rotating are under More options if you need them.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .gif files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for psd to gif
Where the GIF goes next
GIF opens in every browser, operating system, chat app and editor.
GIF next to PSD
Both sides are lossless, so the size depends on how well the GIF encoder handles this picture compared with the PSD's raw or RLE (PackBits) channel data, ZIP in some 16 and 32-bit files.
Written without a lossy pass
The GIF is written losslessly, so the pixels decoded from the PSD arrive unchanged, apart from precision beyond 8 bits per channel.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
PSD vs GIF
What changes from PSD to GIF
Encoding: the PSD uses raw or RLE (PackBits) channel data, ZIP in some 16 and 32-bit files; GIF uses lossless LZW over a palette of at most 256 colours, and the download is a GIF with an optimised palette of up to 256 colours per frame, dithered.
Bit depth: 8, 16 or 32 bits per channel in the PSD; GIF allows 8 bits per pixel, as indexes into a palette, and the GIF written here has 8 bits per pixel (palette). 16 and 32-bit documents are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
Colour: RGB, CMYK, Lab, greyscale, indexed or multichannel in the PSD; GIF supports an indexed palette of up to 256 colours per frame, written here as an indexed palette of up to 256 colours.
Transparency: the PSD stores it as transparent layers plus extra alpha channels; the GIF keeps it as on or off per pixel, so soft edges become hard.
Other images: the PSD can hold layers, masks, adjustment layers and smart objects; only the main image is converted.
Metadata: the PSD can carry XMP, EXIF, IPTC and ICC in image resource blocks; GIF can carry comment and application extension blocks, but no EXIF, but nothing is copied across.
About PSD
PSD is Adobe Photoshop's layered working format. It keeps layers, masks and effects, but almost nothing outside Photoshop can display it, so finished designs are exported to PNG or JPG.
A PSD has five sections: a header ('8BPS', channel count, size, depth, colour mode), colour mode data, image resources (thumbnail, ICC, XMP, resolution), layer and mask information, and finally the merged composite image that the Maximize Compatibility option saves.
PSD files usually come from Photoshop and apps that save Photoshop documents, such as Affinity Photo, GIMP, Photopea and Krita.
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.
When converting PSD to GIF makes sense
GIF is the better choice for short animations and reactions that must play everywhere, while PSD suits editing in Photoshop.
GIF strengths: Animation that works everywhere; Simple, universally supported; Good for small flat graphics. Drawbacks to weigh: Only 256 colours per frame; Hard-edged transparency only; Large files for photos or long clips.
Limitations
- The merged composite is converted, so hidden layers stay hidden and visible ones are flattened together.
- Files saved with Maximize Compatibility turned off may hold no full-size composite; then only the small embedded thumbnail is available.
- GIF transparency is on or off per pixel, so soft edges and shadows get a hard outline.
- GIF holds at most 256 colours per frame, so PSD colour is reduced and gradients are dithered.
- GIF stores at most 256 colours per frame, so photographs show dithering or banding.
- GIF transparency is all or nothing per pixel, so soft shadows and anti-aliased edges get a hard fringe.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting PSD to GIF lose quality?
GIF is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. 16 and 32-bit documents are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any layers.
Are PSD layers kept?
No. The flattened composite that Photoshop saves inside the file is converted, so the result looks like the PSD with all visible layers merged. Files saved without Maximize Compatibility fall back to the embedded thumbnail.
Which apps open GIF files?
Every browser, operating system, chat app and editor.
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.