Split a GIF into Frames
Upload an animated GIF and get every frame back as its own PNG, packed into a single ZIP. Each frame is the complete picture as it appears on screen at that moment, not the small patch the GIF actually stores, and transparent areas stay transparent.
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Why split a GIF into separate frames
A GIF is a stack of images played one after another, and most tools only ever show you the first one. Pulling the frames apart is how you pick the one good still from a reaction GIF, build a sprite sheet for a game, retouch an animation frame by frame in an editor, or hand a designer the individual images behind a loading spinner.
Animated GIFs are usually optimised: after the first frame, each one stores only the rectangle that changed and a rule for what happens to the previous frame. Cut out naively, frame 12 is a small fragment on an empty canvas. MiConvert decodes the GIF with libvips through sharp, which plays the animation forward and composites every frame over the ones before it according to those rules, so each PNG is the full frame at the GIF's own canvas size.
PNG keeps the frames exact. The colors are the GIF's own palette colors, stored losslessly, and a transparent background stays transparent rather than being filled with white or black. Next to the images, the ZIP contains timings.txt, listing every frame's display time in milliseconds, which you need if you plan to reassemble the animation or match it to video.
Two limits apply so a single upload can't produce a multi-gigabyte download: up to 500 frames per GIF, and up to 250 megapixels across all frames together, which is 500 frames at about 700 by 700 pixels or 100 frames at about 1580 by 1580. A longer clip is better converted to MP4 first.
How to split a GIF into frames
- Add your animated GIF. Guests and free accounts can send 10 files in one batch, Plus 25 and Pro 50, with a per-file ceiling of 50 MB as a guest and 100 MB once you sign in.
- Leave "Every frame as a separate image (ZIP)" selected. Switch to "First frame only" if you just want one still.
- Start the conversion. A few hundred frames at normal GIF sizes take a few seconds once the upload completes.
- Download the ZIP and extract it. The frames are numbered frame-001.png, frame-002.png and so on, so they sort in playback order.
- Save it within about 4 hours; after that the download link expires and the file is deleted.
What this GIF splitter actually does
- Rebuilds every frame as a complete image by applying the GIF's disposal rules, instead of exporting partial patches
- Writes lossless PNG frames that keep the original palette colors and transparency
- Names frames frame-001, frame-002 and so on in playback order, plus a timings.txt with each frame's delay
- Handles up to 500 frames and 250 megapixels per GIF, in batches of 10 files for guests and free accounts, 25 on Plus and 50 on Pro
- Detects files whose extension does not match their contents, such as a video saved as .gif, instead of producing a broken ZIP
Splitting GIFs: common questions
Why do frames from other tools look broken or mostly empty?
Because optimised GIFs store only the part of each frame that changed. A tool that copies out the stored data gives you those fragments. Here every frame is composited over the previous ones, following the GIF's disposal rules, so you get the full image the viewer actually sees.
Can I get the frames as JPG or WebP instead of PNG?
Yes. Open the GIF to JPG or GIF to WebP converter and choose "Every frame as a separate image (ZIP)". JPG has no transparency, so transparent areas are filled with white, or black when the artwork itself is very light, using the same color for every frame. PNG is the better choice if you will edit the frames.
Does it keep the timing of each frame?
The images themselves carry no timing, but the ZIP includes timings.txt with each frame's delay in milliseconds, in the same order as the files. GIFs often mix delays, for example a long pause on the last frame, and this list is where you can see it.
Does it work with animated WebP files?
Yes. The WebP to PNG and WebP to JPG converters have the same "Every frame" option. A still GIF or WebP with a single frame is simply converted to one image, with no ZIP.
My GIF has more than 500 frames. What can I do?
Split it in parts with a GIF editor, or convert it to MP4 first; a video is the better format for long clips anyway. The 500-frame and 250-megapixel limits keep a single job from producing a ZIP of several gigabytes.
What happens to my files after the conversion?
Your uploaded GIF is deleted as soon as the job finishes. The ZIP stays on our download server for about 4 hours and is then removed automatically. The download link is a long random token and is not tied to your account, so treat it as private; file names, sizes and outcomes are kept in our logs. The tool is free and needs no sign-up.