How to Get Back Deleted .GIF Files from User Mistakes

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .GIF file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2024.

How to Get Back Deleted .GIF Files from User Mistakes

What is a .GIF file?

A GIF file is an image file often used for web graphics. It may contain up to 256 indexed colors with a color palette that may be a predefined set of colors or may be adapted to the colors in the image. GIF files are saved in a lossless format, meaning the clarity of the image is not compromised with GIF compression.

What Are Common Causes of ".GIF" Files Lost or Failure?

There are several common causes of ".GIF" files lost or failure:

  1. Accidental deletion: One of the most common causes is accidentally deleting ".GIF" files. This can happen when you delete files in bulk or mistakenly delete the wrong file.
  2. File system corruption: If the file system on your storage device gets corrupted, it can lead to ".GIF" files becoming inaccessible or lost. This can occur due to improper ejection of external devices, power outages, or system crashes.
  3. Virus or malware attack: Malicious software can corrupt or delete ".GIF" files. Viruses or malware can infect your computer and cause damage to files, including ".GIF" files.
  4. Hardware failure: If there is a hardware failure in your storage device, such as a hard drive malfunction or a faulty memory card, it can result in the loss of ".GIF" files.
  5. Software or application issues: Errors or bugs in software or applications used to open or edit ".GIF" files can lead to file corruption or loss. This can occur if the software crashes or encounters compatibility issues.
  6. Formatting or reformatting: Formatting a storage device without proper backup can erase all data, including ".GIF" files. Reformatting a drive without taking necessary precautions can result in permanent loss.
  7. File transfer errors: Errors during file transfer, such as interrupted downloads or incomplete transfers, can lead to ".GIF" files being corrupted or lost.
  8. Overwriting or saving changes: If you accidentally overwrite a ".GIF" file with another file of the same name or save changes to a ".GIF" file without creating a backup, you may lose the original file.

It is important to regularly back up your ".GIF" files to prevent data loss and use reliable antivirus software to protect your system from malware.

How to recover lost ".GIF" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".GIF" file may be deleted.

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🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".GIF" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".GIF" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".GIF" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 4.9
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
Download

Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software
  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".GIF" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type
  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored
  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan
  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery
  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".GIF" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo graphical Interchange Format File image file file?

Programs that open ".GIF" files

Windows
File Viewer Plus File Viewer Plus
Microsoft Photos Microsoft Photos
Microsoft Windows Photo Viewer Microsoft Windows Photo Viewer
Microsoft Paint Microsoft Paint
Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 Adobe Photoshop CC 2019
Adobe Photoshop Elements 2019 Adobe Photoshop Elements 2019
Adobe Illustrator CC 2019 Adobe Illustrator CC 2019
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019
Corel PaintShop Pro 2020 Corel PaintShop Pro 2020
ACD Systems Canvas X 2019 ACD Systems Canvas X 2019
ACD Systems ACDSee Photo Studio ACD Systems ACDSee Photo Studio
Laughingbird The Logo Creator Laughingbird The Logo Creator
Nuance PaperPort 14 Nuance PaperPort 14
Nuance OmniPage Ultimate Nuance OmniPage Ultimate
Roxio Creator NXT Pro 7 Roxio Creator NXT Pro 7
Other <a href=picture viewer"> Other picture viewer
Mac
Apple Preview Apple Preview
Apple Safari Apple Safari
Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 Adobe Photoshop CC 2019
Adobe Photoshop Elements 2019 Adobe Photoshop Elements 2019
Adobe Illustrator CC 2019 Adobe Illustrator CC 2019
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019
Laughingbird The Logo Creator Laughingbird The Logo Creator
Roxio Toast 18 Roxio Toast 18
Other <a href=picture viewer"> Other picture viewer
Linux
GIMP GIMP
Other <a href=picture viewer"> Other picture viewer
Web
Google Drive Google Drive
iOS
Google Drive Google Drive
Android
File Viewer for Android File Viewer for Android
Google Drive Google Drive

Additional Information

  • File type: Graphical Interchange Format File

  • File extension: .GIF

  • Developer: CompuServe

  • Category: Raster Image Files

  • Format: Binary

  • HEX: 47 49 46

  • ASCII: GIF

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Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 15:30 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .GIF files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of using .gif formats for images or animations?

    Advantages of using .gif formats for images or animations:

    1. Wide compatibility: .gif files are supported by most web browsers and image editing software, making them easily accessible across different platforms.
    2. Small file size: .gif files use lossless compression techniques, which means they can maintain a relatively small file size while preserving image quality. This makes them ideal for web graphics and animations.
    3. Animation support: .gif files can be used to create simple animations by combining multiple frames into a single file. This makes them suitable for creating small, looping animations or icons.
    4. Transparency: .gif files support transparency, allowing for images or animations with a transparent background. This is useful for overlaying images on different backgrounds or creating logos with irregular shapes.

    Disadvantages of using .gif formats for images or animations:

    1. Limited color palette: .gif files can only support a maximum of 256 colors, which can result in a loss of color accuracy and detail, especially for complex images or photographs.
    2. Limited image quality: Due to the color limitations and lossless compression, .gif files may not provide the same level of image quality as other formats like .jpeg or .png, particularly for high-resolution images.
    3. Limited animation capabilities: .gif animations are limited to a simple frame-by-frame playback, which makes them less suitable for complex or smooth animations compared to other formats like .mp4 or .webm.
    4. Large file size for complex animations: While .gif files are generally small in size, complex animations with many frames can result in large file sizes, which may impact loading times, especially on slower internet connections.
  • How does the .gif format differ from other image file formats such as .jpeg or .png?

    The .gif (Graphics Interchange Format) format differs from other image file formats like .jpeg (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or .png (Portable Network Graphics) in several ways:

    1. Color Support: .gif images are limited to a maximum of 256 colors, while .jpeg and .png can support millions of colors. This limitation makes .gif less suitable for complex or high-quality images, but more suitable for simple graphics, logos, or animations.
    2. Compression: .gif uses a lossless compression algorithm, meaning it preserves all the original image data without any loss in quality. On the other hand, .jpeg uses a lossy compression algorithm, which reduces file size by sacrificing some image details. .png also uses lossless compression, but it typically results in larger file sizes compared to .gif.
    3. Transparency: .gif supports transparency, allowing parts of an image to be transparent or have a specific color designated as transparent. This feature makes .gif useful for creating images with irregular shapes or for overlaying images on different backgrounds. .jpeg and .png also support transparency, but .jpeg uses a binary transparency (either fully transparent or opaque) while .png supports alpha-channel transparency (partial transparency).
    4. Animation: .gif supports animation by combining multiple frames into a single file, creating a looping sequence of images. This feature makes .gif popular for short, simple animations or memes. .jpeg and .png do not support animation.

    Overall, the choice of image format depends on the specific requirements of the image, such as color complexity, file size, transparency needs, or animation requirements.

  • Can .gif formats support transparency and animation? How are these features implemented in the format?

    Yes, .gif formats can support transparency and animation. Transparency in a .gif file is achieved by designating a specific color in the image palette as transparent. This allows the background or underlying content to show through the transparent areas of the image.

    For animation, a .gif file can consist of multiple frames, each with its own image. These frames are displayed in a sequence, creating the illusion of animation when played in a loop. The timing and order of the frames are controlled by the delay time specified for each frame. The delay time determines how long a frame should be displayed before transitioning to the next frame.

    Additionally, .gif files can also specify a disposal method for each frame, which determines how the next frame should be displayed. There are different disposal methods like "do not dispose" (frame remains until overwritten by the next frame), "restore to background" (frame is replaced with the background color before displaying the next frame), and more.

    By combining multiple frames with transparency and appropriate timing, .gif files can achieve both animation and transparency effects.

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