GIF, or Graphic Interchange Format, is a file extension for an often animated raster graphics file and is the second most common image format used on the World Wide Web after JPEG. GIF uses the LZW compression algorithm and is owned by Unisys.

What is GIF file format used for?

Pronounced gif or jif, the GIF file type was originally designed for graphics, but it’s now most commonly used for simple animated images on the Web. For example, the image below is an animated GIF file. It might be easiest to think of a GIF as a tiny movie that plays over and over in your web browser.

What is a GIF file and what is it used for?

It’s a bitmap image format which was created by CompuServe in 1987. This popular image format has a wide support base on the internet. GIF files are portable across various platforms and applications. Mostly used for logos and sharp images GIF files are also capable of containing animated image data.

If you need to open a GIF picture, you should go to the File menu in the browser, by pressing the Alt key. Then select Open, click Browse and choose All Files. Click on the GIF, choose Open, and then confirm your choice by clicking OK to see the GIF file.