Reduce GIF - Here's how
If a GIF file is too large for you, you can reduce it by cutting it to size, saving it with a smaller color palette or lower quality. We will explain how, how you can get it done quickly and easily.
Shrink GIF files online
There is a quick but not very flexible method to shrink GIF files. Here you change the color palette or the resolution in order to reduce the file size of the GIF file.
- Go to the Online-Converter.com page.
- Click "Browse" and select the GIF file you want to compress.
- Now you can reduce the resolution of the image in the "Optional Settings" under "Change Size", if you want.
- The better solution is often to save the image "Gray", ie as a grayscale or "Monochrome", ie monochrome (black and white). How to reduce the file size.
- Click "Convert File" and wait a little while the image is being processed.
- When the image processing is finished, a download dialog window opens. Select "Save File" or "Save File" here. The saved file is now compressed.
Reduce GIF files with Paint.NET
You have more flexible setting options in Paint.NET. Special practical tips show you how to crop an image in Paint.NET and change the aspect ratio if you wish.
- Download the Low-Color Plugin from the Paint.NET forum and save it in the "FileTypes" folder of Paint.NET. Another practical tip shows you in detail how to install a Paint.NET plug-in.
- Open Paint.NET and drag-and-drop the file you want to shrink.
- With the help of our practical tips, you can now trim the picture or change the resolution.
- Navigate to "File" -> "Save As", select "GIF (low color)" as the file type and press "Save".
- Now decide whether you want to save the image in "Black and white" (black and white, 1 bit), "16 color", "96 color" or "Custom" (2 to 265 colors).
- Depending on the selection, you will see a preview. Click "OK" as soon as the preview meets your expectations.
- You can use GIF files as a desktop background, for example.
- With instructions from another practical tip, you can also create GIF animations in Paint.NET, which you can insert, for example, in PowerPoint.
