Convert a PDF to GIF — still pages or an animated slideshow
The PDF to GIF converter does two jobs. It can save each PDF page as its own GIF image, or it can stitch the pages into a single animated GIF that flips through the document like a slideshow, with the time per page you choose.
An animated GIF plays almost anywhere a picture can go: in a GitHub README, a Slack or Teams message, a forum post, a newsletter, or a social media reply. That makes it a handy way to preview a short presentation, a product sheet, a comic, a step-by-step guide or a design portfolio without asking anyone to open a PDF.
Pages are rendered with pdf.js and encoded with the open-source gifenc library, all inside your browser. The PDF is never uploaded, so unreleased slides and client work stay private.
How to convert a PDF to GIF
- Drop a PDF onto the box above or click to choose one.
- Choose “One GIF per page” for still images, or “Animated GIF of all pages” for a slideshow.
- Set the resolution (100 DPI suits most chats and READMEs), the number of colours and whether to dither.
- For an animation, enter the time each page stays on screen and decide whether it should loop forever.
- Limit the pages if you like (for example
1-5), press the convert button and download the GIF.
PDF to GIF features
Animated slideshow
Every selected page becomes one frame. Pages of different sizes are centred on a white canvas so the animation doesn’t jump.
Frame delay and looping
Choose 0.1 to 60 seconds per page and either loop forever or play once.
Smart 256-colour palettes
Each page gets its own optimised palette, so a blue chart and a red photo page both keep their best colours.
Optional dithering
Floyd–Steinberg dithering smooths gradients and photos by mixing palette colours; switch it off for crisp, flat text.
Smaller-file settings
Fewer colours and a lower DPI can cut the file size dramatically for chat apps with upload limits.
GIF’s 256-colour limit, explained
A GIF frame can use at most 256 colours. That suits text, line drawings, diagrams and flat illustrations, which rarely use more. Photos and smooth gradients have thousands of colours, so the converter has to choose the 256 that represent the page best. Without dithering, similar shades merge into visible bands; with dithering, the missing shades are imitated by fine patterns of nearby colours — smoother from a distance, slightly grainy up close.
If you need a still image with full colour, PDF to PNG or PDF to JPG will look better. GIF earns its place when you need animation that plays everywhere, or when a platform only accepts GIF.
Choosing the time per page
| Content | Suggested time per page | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Title slides, covers, photos | 1–2 seconds | Enough to recognise the page |
| Slides with a few bullet points | 3–4 seconds | Time to read a heading and skim the points |
| Dense text pages | 6 seconds or more | Better still: share the PDF itself |
| Flip-book or comic effect | 0.2–0.5 seconds | Pages blur into motion |
Keeping the GIF small
- Resolution has the biggest effect: halving the DPI roughly quarters the number of pixels.
- Dithering adds pixel-level patterns that compress less well; leave it off for text and diagrams.
- Convert only the pages that matter — “1-5” makes a far lighter teaser than a 40-page deck.
- Need to turn a screen recording into a GIF instead? Use Video to GIF.
PDF to GIF FAQ
How do I convert a PDF to an animated GIF?
Choose your PDF, set “Output” to “Animated GIF of all pages”, enter the time per page and press “Create animated GIF”. You get one .gif that cycles through the selected pages.
Can I convert each PDF page to a separate GIF?
Yes. Leave “Output” on “One GIF per page”. Every page becomes its own GIF, and “Download all (ZIP)” saves them together.
Why do photos look grainy or banded in the GIF?
GIF is limited to 256 colours per frame. Turn dithering on for smoother photos, or use PNG or JPG if animation isn’t needed.
What frame delay should I use?
About 2–4 seconds per page suits most presentations. Very short delays below 0.1 seconds are slowed down by many browsers, so the minimum here is 0.1 seconds.
Is there a page limit?
No fixed limit, but every frame adds to the file size and memory use. Long documents are better shared as a PDF or split first with Split PDF.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The GIF is created entirely in your browser, and your file never leaves your device.