File Extension/GIF
alphabetical list of extensions

File extension .GIF

File description

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) is a bitmap image format that was issued by CompuSErve in the 80s. It is popular all around the world web because of its support and portability. GIF file format supports 8 bits per pixel for each image, permitting a single image to linkage its own palette of up to 256 distinct colours selected from the 24-bit colour space.

GIF file also supports animations and permits an isolated palette of up to 256 colours for each frame. These palette restrictions do the GIF format incapable for remanufacturing colour photographs and other images with recurring colour.

Description of the problem
If you have on your computer a .GIF file that you cannot open, you are in exactly the same situation as thousands of other people who have similar problems with this or any other unknown file.

There may be several reasons why you cannot open the file with .GIF extension. Directly on this website you can find a solution of the most common problem with the .GIF file – that you do not have on your computer the appropriate program to open the file.
Solution
From the list below, select the appropriate program, install it and double click on the icon of a file that did not want to open - the problem with the .GIF file extension should be solved. However, if this does not happen, go back to the website to learn about other possible causes of the error, which have been described at the bottom of the website.
Category
Raster Image Files
Developer
N/A
Popularity
StarStarStarStarStar
File name: Graphical Interchange Format File
Programs that will open this file:
Windows
Windows
Ability Photopaint Ability Photopaint
ACDSee ACDSee
ACDSee Photo Manager ACDSee Photo Manager
Adobe Creative Suite Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Fireworks Adobe Fireworks
Adobe Illustrator Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere Pro Adobe Premiere Pro
Artweaver Artweaver
Axialis IconWorkshop Axialis IconWorkshop
CorelDRAW CorelDRAW
FastPictureViewer Professional FastPictureViewer Professional
FastStone Image Viewer FastStone Image Viewer
FormatFactory FormatFactory
IrfanView IrfanView
Microsoft Expression Design Microsoft Expression Design
Paint.NET Paint.NET
PaintShop Pro PaintShop Pro
PaperPort PaperPort
PhotoOnWeb PhotoOnWeb
SWFTools SWFTools
ThunderSoft GIF to AVI Converter ThunderSoft GIF to AVI Converter
Web browser Web browser
XnView XnView
Zoner GIF Animator Zoner GIF Animator
Mac OS
Mac OS
Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop
Preview Preview
Safari Safari
Web browser Web browser
Linux
Linux
GIMP GIMP
Web browser Web browser
Remember!
The .GIF file extension can correspond to several not related file formats. If there is more than one file format with the .GIF extension, you will probably find most of them at this website. Remember that you need to download a program to support a particular file type. So first look through the entire contents of the website to select a program to support just the file you have.

Other possible reasons why your .GIF file does not want to open

In addition to the problem described above, i.e. the lack of the appropriate application to support the .GIF file, there may be several reasons that cause problems with opening and operation of the data format:

1. Incorrect version of the installed application

A quite common problem is the lack of application in the appropriate version. Even if you have an application, with the help of which you should open the .GIF file, you may have a problem with it because of its version. Perhaps in previous versions the application has not yet supported the .GIF file, so download the update and check again.

2. Incorrect .GIF file association with the program

If you have already installed the appropriate application, and it is the correct version, the file may not open correctly, because the operating system does not have information that this program supports the file. So you need to "show" which program the computer should use. To do this:

  • Right-click the .GIF file
  • Go to the "Open with" - then "Choose default program ..."
  • Locate the appropriate application
  • Click "OK"

3. The file is corrupt

It also happens that the file you want to open is corrupt and therefore there is no such possibility. In this situation, you should find its different version, or ask a person from whom you got, to send it again.