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APNG file format (.apng)

Animated PNG. Full colour animation with transparency.

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What is an APNG file?

In short: An APNG file (.apng) is an image file in the APNG format. APNG is a PNG with extra frames attached, and the first frame is a valid ordinary PNG. It can be converted to JPG, PNG or WEBP for free in a web browser with iHateFiles, without uploading it.

Proposed by Mozilla in 2004 and, after years of resistance, supported by every major browser by 2017.

APNG is a PNG with extra frames attached, and the first frame is a valid ordinary PNG. Anything that does not understand the animation simply shows that first frame. It brings full colour and real alpha transparency to animation, which GIF never had.

What APNG is good at

  • Millions of colours instead of 256
  • Soft transparent edges, so no jagged fringe
  • Falls back to a still image gracefully

Where APNG falls short

  • Larger than an equivalent video for anything long
  • Some older image editors ignore the animation
  • Not accepted where a plain GIF would be

When to use APNG

Use APNG for short animation that needs transparency or accurate colour, such as a sticker or an interface flourish.

How to open a APNG file

Every current browser. Editor support is more mixed.

Opening a .apng file on each platform
WindowsOpens in any browser. Windows Photos shows only the first frame.
macOSPreview shows the first frame; Safari animates it.
LinuxGIMP reads all frames.
PhoneAnimates in the browser on both platforms.
In a browserEvery modern browser animates APNG, and falls back to the first frame if it cannot.

The thing that usually goes wrong

Converting a single still image to APNG just gives you a PNG, because there is nothing to animate.

Questions

What is a APNG file?

Animated PNG. Full colour animation with transparency. Files use the .apng extension.

How do I open a APNG file?

Most image software opens APNG directly. If yours does not, convert it here to something more common. It takes a few seconds and nothing is uploaded.

Can I convert APNG for free?

Yes. Every conversion here is free and unlimited, because your own device does the work rather than a server we have to pay for.

Is APNG lossless?

Yes. APNG stores every pixel exactly, at the cost of a larger file.