What happens when you convert PSD to GIF
- ImageMagick, the open-source image toolkit, reads the flattened copy of the whole picture that Photoshop saves inside every PSD, the image you see with all layers visible, on our conversion server, and saves it as a GIF with a 256-colour palette built from the image.
- Layers are not exported one by one: the result is the finished picture. A PSD saved with Maximize Compatibility turned off in Photoshop may have no usable flattened copy, and then comes out blank; resave it with that option on.
- Transparent areas stay transparent, though GIF transparency is all or nothing, so soft edges become hard.
- GIF allows 256 colours, so photos pick up some banding. Graphics with flat colours convert cleanly.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert PSD to GIF online
- Press "Choose PSD files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to GIF". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each GIF with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your PSD and the GIF by then.
Why convert PSD to GIF?
PSD files usually come from Photoshop artwork, photo retouching, mock-ups and design files. People convert them to GIF because a GIF loops silently in any chat app, email or forum post without a play button.
In short, PSD is good at what it was made for, and GIF is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. PSD does not open in browsers; Photoshop opens it, and GIMP, Affinity Photo and Photopea read most PSD files, while GIF opens and animates in every browser.
How to convert PSD to GIF on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your PSD files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each GIF is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the PSD files from Finder onto the drop zone and the GIF files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose PSD files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted GIF appears in Files, in the Downloads folder; to put it in your photo library, open it there, tap Share and choose Save Image.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose PSD files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The GIF is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for PSD to GIF
There are no settings: the image keeps its full size.
If you need a single layer rather than the whole picture, hide the other layers in Photoshop and save a copy first.
PSD vs GIF: the differences
| PSD | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Adobe Photoshop document | Graphics Interchange Format |
| Type | image | image |
| Created by | Adobe | CompuServe |
| First released | 1990 | 1987 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | Yes |
| Vector or raster | Raster | Raster |
| Colour | up to 32 bits per channel, in RGB, CMYK, Lab or greyscale | 256 colours per frame from a palette |
| What it holds | layers, masks, adjustment and text layers, plus a flattened copy of the whole image | 256 colours per frame from a palette |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Photoshop opens it, and GIMP, Affinity Photo and Photopea read most PSD files | opens and animates in every browser |
| Common uses | Photoshop artwork, photo retouching, mock-ups and design files | short looping animations, reactions and simple graphics |
| MIME type | image/vnd.adobe.photoshop | image/gif |
About PSD and GIF files
What is a PSD file?
A PSD keeps every layer, mask, adjustment and text layer separately so the work can be edited later, and stores a flattened copy of the whole picture beside them. A PSD is limited to 30,000 pixels a side and 2 GB; larger work is saved as PSB.
What is a GIF file?
GIF stores each frame with a palette of at most 256 colours, so photos turn grainy and animations get large fast. Transparency is on or off per pixel, with no soft edges.
PSD to GIF not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Save the image at a smaller size first.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- "This file is not really in PSD format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .psd is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert PSD to GIF from the command line
ImageMagick does the same on your own computer:
magick input.psd[0] output.gifConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
PSD to GIF converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting PSD to GIF?
Photos lose some colour accuracy, because GIF is limited to 256 colours. Flat graphics look the same.
Why is the GIF a different size from the PSD?
Usually much smaller than the PSD, because only the flattened picture is kept, without the layers.
Are my PSD files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful PSD to GIF conversion needs ImageMagick, the open-source image toolkit, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the GIF as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several PSD files to GIF at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a GIF file?
GIF opens and animates in every browser. GIF is common for short looping animations, reactions and simple graphics.
Is this PSD to GIF converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert PSD to GIF on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the GIF is saved to your Downloads folder.