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GIF to MKV converter

Convert GIF to MKV in seconds, free and unlimited. No upload, no sign-up, no watermark: your video never leaves your device.

Last updated

Quick answer: To convert GIF to MKV, add the GIF file to the iHateFiles GIF to MKV converter and press Convert. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded, and it is free with no sign-up, watermark or size limit. A real video codec instead of 256 colours, usually around a tenth of the size and with far smoother motion.

Should you convert GIF to MKV?

A safe conversion: GIF and MKV are both lossless, so this is a change of container rather than a change to the picture.

Nothing is discarded

GIF and MKV are both lossless, so every pixel survives the move intact. Convert back and forth as often as you like; the image does not degrade.

GIF and MKV side by side

 GIFMKV
CompressionLosslessLossless
TransparencyNoNo
AnimationNoNo
Written hereYesYes

What usually goes wrong

About the GIF. Halving the width of a GIF cuts the file size by roughly three quarters. Dropping the frame rate helps almost as much. Trimming the length helps least.

About the MKV. MKV and WEBM share a signature because WEBM is a restricted Matroska, so tools sometimes report one as the other. What matters is the codecs inside.

How to convert GIF to MKV

  1. Add your GIF file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
  2. Check the settings. The output format is already set to MKV.
  3. Press convert and the MKV file is saved back to your device.

Convert MKV to GIF instead

About GIF files

Questions

How do I convert GIF to MKV?

Open this page, add your GIF file, and press convert. The file is decoded and re-encoded by your own browser and saved back to your device. Nothing is uploaded.

Is this GIF to MKV converter free?

Yes, completely. There is no account, no sign-in, no watermark and no daily limit, because there is no server doing the work. Your own device does it.

Are my files uploaded anywhere?

No. There is no upload endpoint. The conversion runs inside this browser tab, so your file never leaves your device. You can open your browser's network panel and watch: nothing carrying your file is sent.

Is there a file size limit?

No fixed limit. Because the work happens on your machine there is no server quota. The only ceiling is your own device's memory, which for video means very large files may be slow.

Will converting to MKV lose quality?

MKV is a lossy format, so some detail is discarded. The quality control on this page decides how much. The default is set high enough that most people cannot see the difference.

Can I convert several GIF files at once?

Yes. Add as many as you like and they are converted one after another, then offered as a single ZIP.