After Effects to GIF — via Lottie, no render queue
Export your comp with Bodymovin, drop the JSON here, download a GIF. No Media Encoder, no GIF plugin, no giant intermediate video.
How it works
- 1Upload a Lottie file (.json, .lottie, or .tgs), or try the example
- 2Adjust frame rate, quality, resolution and transparency
- 3Export to any format — or optimize and repackage as dotLottie
Nothing is uploaded. SVG output uses SMIL and needs no JavaScript; APNG and WebM keep the full color and transparency GIF can't.
How to use the After Effects to GIF — via Lottie, no render queue
- 1
Drop in your animation. Drag & drop a Lottie .json, .lottie, or .tgs file — or paste a URL. It loads instantly and never leaves your browser.
- 2
Tune the output. Set frame rate, quality, and resolution up to 4× — plus a transparent background where the format supports it.
- 3
Export & download. Hit the export button and the file downloads straight from your browser — free, no watermark, no signup.
About going from After Effects to GIF via Lottie
After Effects still has no good native GIF export: the classic route is rendering a video, hauling it through Media Encoder or Photoshop, and accepting whatever palette falls out. If your comp is vector-based (shape layers, solids, precomps of them), there's a cleaner path: export it as a Lottie JSON with the free Bodymovin extension, and convert that JSON to GIF here — straight from the crisp vector source, not from re-compressed video pixels.
In After Effects: install Bodymovin from the Creative Cloud marketplace, open Window → Extensions → Bodymovin, select your comp, and render the JSON. Drop that file here, tune frame rate and size, and export your GIF — transparent if you need it. Bonus: the same JSON also gives you MP4, WebM, APNG, and animated SVG without touching AE again.
Which format should I use?
| Format | Type | Transparency | Color | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIF | Animated image | 1-bit (hard edges) | 256 colors | Email, chat, universal support |
| APNG | Animated image | 8-bit (smooth) | Full 24-bit | Icons, logos, quality over size |
| WebM | Video | Yes (VP9 alpha) | Full | Small web video, transparent overlays |
| MP4 | Video | None | Full | Social, ads, video editors |
| SVG | Vector (SMIL) | Yes | Full | Runtime-free embeds |
| PNG / WebP | Still image | Yes | Full | Posters, thumbnails, placeholders |
Frequently asked questions
What After Effects features survive the Lottie route?+
Shape layers, transforms, masks, track mattes, and most keyframe easings translate well. Effects like glows, blurs, and third-party plugins don't — check your comp in the preview here; what you see is what the GIF gets.
Is Bodymovin free?+
Yes — it's a free AE extension (also the engine behind LottieFiles' exporter). Install it once and every comp can export as JSON.
Why not just render a GIF from Media Encoder?+
You can, but you get video-derived palettes, bigger files, and a render-queue round trip on every tweak. The Lottie JSON stays vector until the last step, so re-exporting at a new size or frame rate takes seconds here.
Can I keep a transparent background?+
Yes — if your comp has no background layer, the Lottie renders with alpha and the transparent-GIF toggle keeps it (or use APNG/WebM for smooth alpha).
Other Lottie conversions
Converting lots of files? Batch convert free — or automate this conversion with the render API (beta).
