How do I convert BMP to GIF?

Upload your BMP file above. It is converted to GIF automatically (change the output format or quality in the Settings tab if you need to), then click Download. There is nothing to install.

Does converting BMP to GIF lose quality?

GIF is limited to 256 colours per frame, so photos lose colour detail; graphics with few colours convert cleanly.

BMP stores pixels with no compression at all. Files are large, but very old or simple software that can’t read modern formats can usually read a BMP.

Is the BMP to GIF converter free?

Yes. Convert, preview and download a single result without creating an account. Premium adds batch conversion (many files into one ZIP) and larger uploads.

Convert BMP to GIF — GIFs for Chat, Email and Web

Convert BMP to GIF online for a simple GIF for chat, email and the web. No software to install. Preview one free or batch-convert with Premium.

Drop your BMP file or click to browse

Why convert BMP to GIF?

GIF files are usually smaller than BMP for the same picture, so pages load faster and uploads finish sooner.
GIF is supported far more widely than BMP, so the file is easier to open, share and upload.
GIF is made for short animations, stickers and flat-colour graphics.

What to expect when converting BMP to GIF

GIF shows at most 256 colours per frame, so photos and gradients are dithered and may show banding.
Your original BMP file isn’t changed: you download a new GIF copy.

BMP vs GIF

Feature	BMP	GIF
Full name	Windows Bitmap	Graphics Interchange Format
Origin	Created by Microsoft for Windows	Introduced by CompuServe in 1987
Compression	Uncompressed	Lossless, but limited to 256 colours
Transparency	No (in the 24-bit BMPs most apps read)	On/off only (one transparent colour)
Animation	No	Yes
Colour	16.7 million colours (24-bit)	Up to 256 colours per frame
Where it opens	Windows and macOS apps, older software and browsers	All browsers, email apps and messaging apps
Best for	older Windows programs, embedded devices and tools that need raw pixels	short animations, stickers and flat-colour graphics
Main drawback	very large files and no transparency	only 256 colours and on/off transparency

In short: choose BMP for older Windows programs, embedded devices and tools that need raw pixels; choose GIF for short animations, stickers and flat-colour graphics.

BMP to GIF for small graphics with few colors

Plenty of BMPs from Paint and older programs are simple graphics: icons, buttons, diagrams, pixel art. Those often use 256 colors or fewer, and some are stored as 1-, 4- or 8-bit palette images to begin with, so a GIF can hold them with little or no visible change in a far smaller file.

A BMP photograph is another matter. Squeezing millions of colors into 256 leaves dithering patterns and banding, and GIF offers no quality slider to soften that, so the fix is a different format, such as JPG for photos.

If the BMP carries transparency (32-bit with alpha), the GIF keeps it as on-or-off pixels, so check soft edges in the preview's Grid view. To animate a sequence of BMP frames, convert them and then assemble them into an animated GIF, where you control speed and quality.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert BMP to GIF?: Upload your BMP file above. It is converted to GIF automatically (change the output format or quality in the Settings tab if you need to), then click Download. There is nothing to install.
Does converting BMP to GIF lose quality?: GIF is limited to 256 colours per frame, so photos lose colour detail; graphics with few colours convert cleanly.
BMP or GIF: which should I use?: Use BMP for older Windows programs, embedded devices and tools that need raw pixels. Use GIF for short animations, stickers and flat-colour graphics. Keep in mind the main drawback of GIF: only 256 colours and on/off transparency.
What is a BMP file?: BMP stores pixels with no compression at all. Files are large, but very old or simple software that can’t read modern formats can usually read a BMP.
Is the BMP to GIF converter free?: Yes. Convert, preview and download a single result without creating an account. Premium adds batch conversion (many files into one ZIP) and larger uploads.

What you can do with BMP to GIF

Review the main capabilities before you begin.

Convert BMP files to GIF online
Keep animation when the source is an animated GIF or WebP
Switch to any other output format in Settings
Batch-convert many BMP files into one ZIP
Preview the result before you download

Use this tool

Settings reference

Available controls for BMP to GIF.

Settings

Output formatDropdown: Chooses the file type you download. The page opens on its own output format; switch to any other format before converting.Options: JPGPNGWebPAVIFGIFTIFFBMPICOPDF
QualitySliderRange: 20–100 · Default: 90: For JPG, WebP, AVIF and image-to-PDF output: higher keeps more detail but makes a bigger file; 60–80 suits most photos. Documents (Publisher, XPS, EPS…) become PDFs with every page and sharp text, with no quality setting.
Lossless modeOn / Off: For WebP and AVIF output: keeps every pixel exactly (best for logos, graphics and transparency) at the cost of a larger file.
Background fillColor picker: For JPG, BMP and image-to-PDF output, which can’t store transparency: the colour that fills transparent areas (white by default).