.gif GIF image
Images
| MIME type | image/gif |
|---|---|
| Description | GIF image |
| Acronym | GIF – Graphics Interchange Format |
| Category | Images |
| Signature (magic bytes) | 47 49 46 38 (GIF8) |
Frequently asked questions
What is a .gif file?
A .gif file is a “GIF image” (MIME type image/gif). GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format.
How do I open a .gif file?
With any image viewer that supports the format – the Photos app on Windows, Preview on macOS, Eye of GNOME or GIMP on Linux. For unusual formats a converter such as ImageMagick helps.
How can you tell a genuine .gif file?
By the bytes at the start of the file, the signature (magic bytes): 47 49 46 38 (GIF8). On Linux and macOS, file --mime-type example.gif checks the real type regardless of the extension.
Which MIME type belongs to .gif?
The MIME type is image/gif. In the Apache web server: AddType image/gif .gif; in nginx: types { image/gif gif; }.