A PNG logo that works over coloured backgrounds may gain a white rectangle after GIF conversion. For a transparent still image, keep and use the original PNG first. Repeated format changes will not automatically remove a baked-in white background.
Separate format capability from export behaviour
MDN describes GIF transparency as a transparent palette index: those pixels are fully transparent, rather than partially transparent like PNG alpha. Soft shadows and faint edges therefore deserve attention when changing formats.
FileMyLove's image converter currently composites an image onto white before exporting GIF. It writes one still frame. Do not choose this route to preserve transparency or an existing animation's frames.
Start with the unconverted original
- Keep the source PNG separately from the exported GIF.
- Place the original over light and dark backgrounds in your destination workflow.
- Inspect hair, shadows, logos and curved edges at the intended display size.
- If the original remains transparent, use PNG where the destination accepts it.
- Reopen the downloaded file before handing it to someone else.
If a checkerboard stays inside the picture when you change backgrounds, read checkerboard pixels versus real transparency. That issue starts in the source rather than the GIF selection.
Choose what you need to preserve
| Requirement | Our suggested approach |
|---|---|
| Transparent still with soft edges | Retain a PNG with alpha |
| Still image on white | Check the GIF's colours and detail |
| Existing animation | Retain the animated original instead of using a still converter |
| Destination requires transparent GIF | Use an exporter with explicit transparency support and inspect the edges |
These are file-selection recommendations, not an additional transparent-GIF export feature on this site.
When only the white version remains
Converting it back to PNG does not separate white pixels from the picture. Without the transparent source, you can try background removal and manually inspect details that should remain. This does not guarantee restoration of the original edges.
For stepped colour gradients unrelated to transparency, see GIF colour banding.
