Export frames from GIF in Photoshop

In a previous article, we discussed how to make an animated GIF from still photos using Photoshop on Windows computer. Sometimes we may need to extract and reuse certain image frames in a GIF file. Is it possible to split an animated GIF into individual frames and export them as images in Photoshop? 

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to turn an animated GIF file into a series of photos using Photoshop.

Method 1. Quick Export as PNG

Open the GIF file in Photoshop, you will see the layers list in the Layers panel on the right sidebar. All image frames are displayed as layers in the list. Click to select a single layer, press Ctrl and click to select multiple layers, press Shift and click to select multiple consecutive layers, or click Select from the top menu bar, then choose All Layers from the drop-down menu to select all layers. Right click on the layer, choose Quick Export as PNG, then choose a location and folder to save all the image frames in PNG format.

gif frames quick export as PNG images in Photoshop for windows

Method 2. Export Layers to Files

Go to File > Export > Layers to Files …, the Export Layers To Files window pops up. Here you can choose a destination folder to save the file, choose file name prefix, choose file type, such as BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and image quality, then hit the Run button to export all layers to image files in the selected format.

export gif layers to images in photoshop for windows

Method 3. Render video to image sequence

Go to File > Export > Render Video…, then select a folder to save the images to be extracted, choose Photoshop Image Sequence, select an image format, BMP, JPEG, PNG or TIFF, then click on Render button and each frame should be exported to an image in the selected format saved to the folder you have selected above.

render gif frames to image sequence in photoshop for windows