How to compress a GIF to a specific size
To compress a GIF to a specific file size, pick the size in Target size, drop in the GIF and press Compress GIF. GifWrench runs a sequence of attempts in your browser:
- It compresses with the level you chose (Balanced by default).
- If the file is still too big, it moves to stronger lossy compression with a 128-color, then a 64-color palette.
- If that is still not enough, it estimates how much smaller the frame needs to be (file size grows roughly with pixel area) and resizes, repeating until the file fits or it reaches a sensible minimum.
You see each attempt in the status line, and the final result is shown next to the original so you can judge the quality before downloading.
Common size limits
| Use | Target |
|---|---|
| Slack custom emoji | Under 128 KB |
| Discord custom emoji | Under 256 KB |
| Discord server sticker | Under 512 KB |
| Email, docs, help-center articles | Under 1 MB |
| Discord upload (free account) | Under 10 MB |
Tips for the best quality at a small size
- Resize before you compress hard. A 480-pixel-wide GIF with light compression usually looks better than an 800-pixel GIF crushed to 64 colors.
- Crop away empty space with the crop tool; borders and backgrounds still cost bytes in every frame.
- Shorter is smaller. If you only need part of the loop, split the frames and keep the part you need.
- Keep the original. Compression is lossy. GifWrench never overwrites your file; it gives you a new download.
For a general-purpose compressor with a width option, use the GIF compressor on the home page.