GIF to WMV converter
Convert GIF to WMV 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 WMV, add the GIF file to the iHateFiles GIF to WMV 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 WMV?
Almost always worth it: the WMV is usually a tenth of the size of the GIF and plays more smoothly. Keep the GIF only where a video will not play, such as email.
From 256 colours to real video
A GIF stores every frame as a separate picture in 256 colours. WMV stores Windows Media (MS-MPEG4) video with WMA sound, which only records what changes between frames, so the file is usually a tenth of the size and plays more smoothly. There was never any sound in the GIF, so the WMV is silent.
GIF and WMV side by side
| GIF | WMV | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | a sequence of 256-colour frames and no sound at all | Windows Media (MS-MPEG4) video with WMA sound |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Carries sound | No | Yes |
| Plays on | everywhere an image plays: browsers, chat apps, email and documents | Windows, and VLC elsewhere; Macs need an extra player |
| Here | Read and write | Read and write |
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 WMV. A WMV that will not play anywhere may be DRM-protected rather than corrupt. No converter can remove that, and none should.
How to convert GIF to WMV
- Add your GIF file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
- Check the settings. The output format is already set to WMV.
- Press convert and the WMV file is saved back to your device.
Questions
How do I convert GIF to WMV?
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 WMV 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 WMV lose quality?
WMV 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.