Free converter · Lossy re-encode
Convert GIF to MP4
Short answer
Drop your GIF file into the converter below and download the MP4 file. It runs in your browser with FFmpeg, for files up to 100 MB; nothing is uploaded. The file is re-encoded to H.264 video and AAC audio in MP4, at FFmpeg's default quality, with the source's sample rate. Re-encoding takes longer than a container swap and costs some quality; how much depends on the clip and on the quality setting, and at the converter's default setting the loss can be visible, so keep the original.
Maximum file size: 100 MB. The first conversion loads a ~30 MB converter engine, once per visit. Nothing is uploaded - conversion runs on your device.
GIF frames are limited; output is short and low-motion. · Lossy re-encode · Browser-side via FFmpeg WASM - nothing uploaded.
Key takeaways
- GIF to MP4 is a big saving: our 8.67 MB GIF became a 0.68 MB MP4 (-92.1%).
- Catch: the converter's output was H.264 in yuv444p, measured with ffprobe on both native ffmpeg and the shipped WebAssembly core. The FFmpeg wiki warns that QuickTime and most other players only support 4:2:0 (yuv420p) for H.264.
- The fix is one flag: -pix_fmt yuv420p, plus an even width and height.
- The video has no sound, like the GIF it came from.
Measured: size and format
Measured on a 10 second, 1920 × 1080, 30 fps excerpt of Big Buck Bunny (animated film, not camera footage; (c) Blender Foundation, CC BY 3.0) as H.264 plus stereo AAC 192 kbps, using the same ffmpeg arguments this converter passes to its WebAssembly build, run with ffmpeg 6.1.1. Results describe this file, not every file.
The GIF input was 480 × 270 at 15 fps, made from the same excerpt.
| Check | Result |
|---|---|
| Input | GIF, 8,665,621 bytes, 480 × 270, 15 fps |
| Output | MP4, 683,747 bytes (-92.1%) |
| Output codec and pixel format | H.264, yuv444p |
| Browser core, 3 s GIF (2,723,950 bytes) | 255,138 bytes (-90.6%), H.264, yuv444p |
| Time, native ffmpeg | 0.6 s |
The yuv444p result is the important line. The FFmpeg wiki says: "You may need to use -pix_fmt yuv420p for your output to work in QuickTime and most other players. These players only support the YUV planar color space with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling for H.264 video."
GIF vs MP4
| GIF | MP4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Graphics Interchange Format | MPEG-4 Part 14 |
| What is inside | Up to 256 colors per frame, no sound | H.264 or H.265 video with AAC audio |
| Compression | Lossless, but limited to 256 colors | Depends on the codec inside |
| Notes | No audio | Audio supported |
| Best for | Short silent loops in chats and documents; large files for their quality | Uploading anywhere: the format social platforms document first |
What you get
H.264 video and AAC audio in MP4, at FFmpeg's default quality, with the source's sample rate. GIF frames are limited; output is short and low-motion.
Fix the pixel format
ffmpeg -i in.gif -vf "scale=trunc(iw/2)*2:trunc(ih/2)*2" -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart out.mp4- The scale filter rounds the size to even numbers, which yuv420p requires.
- If a phone or platform rejects the file this converter makes, re-encode with the command above.
YouTube's recommended settings are H.264 in MP4; TikTok's API lists H.264 as recommended; check each platform's page.
What you gain
An MP4 plays smoothly with real compression: 92% smaller in our test, with a true video timeline and no 256 color limit going forward (the colors already lost in the GIF stay lost). It has no audio, because the GIF had none.
Questions people ask
Is this GIF to MP4 converter free and private?
Yes. It is free, needs no account and runs entirely in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.
Will converting GIF to MP4 reduce quality?
Some, because MP4 is depends on the codec inside and the file is re-encoded. How much depends on the clip and on the quality setting, and at the converter's default setting the loss can be visible, so keep the original. For uploads, the platform re-encodes again anyway.
Is there a file size limit?
Files up to 100 MB. The first conversion downloads a converter engine of about 30 MB once per visit; larger files are better handled by a desktop app such as HandBrake or FFmpeg.
Is GIF to MP4 smaller?
Yes. Our 8.67 MB GIF became a 0.68 MB MP4, a 92.1% reduction.
Why will my MP4 not play in some players?
The converter's output was yuv444p. The FFmpeg wiki says QuickTime and most other players only support 4:2:0 chroma subsampling for H.264, so re-encode with -pix_fmt yuv420p.
Does the MP4 loop?
MP4 has no built-in loop flag; most players and platforms loop short videos on their own, or you set it in the player.
Can I get the colors back?
No. The GIF's 256 color limit already discarded them.
More converters
Sources and how we checked
- MDN: Media container formats
- MDN: Web audio codec guide
- MDN: Image file type and format guide
- FFmpeg documentation: stream copy
- FFmpeg Wiki: Encode/H.264 (CRF and presets) (read 2026-10-08)
- FFmpeg Documentation: ffmpeg (stream selection, -map, -c copy) (read 2026-10-08)
- YouTube Help: Recommended upload encoding settings (read 2026-10-08)
- TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API media transfer guide (read 2026-10-08)
- Blender Foundation: Big Buck Bunny (CC BY 3.0), the clip used for the measurements (read 2026-10-08)
Reviewed October 8, 2026. What the converter writes was measured with ffprobe on the same FFmpeg build your browser downloads; format descriptions follow MDN's media guides.