Convert APNG to 3G2 Online

Convert APNG to 3G2 Online

APNG is a lossless animated image — full 24-bit color with an 8-bit alpha channel — which makes the files large and limits playback to browsers and image viewers. 3G2 (3GPP2) is a low-bitrate mobile video container built for old CDMA handsets, so turning an APNG into 3G2 makes it far smaller and playable as real video. Be aware of the trade-off: video has no alpha channel, so any transparency in the APNG is flattened onto a solid background. For almost everyone, APNG to MP4 with H.264 is the better target — it plays everywhere and compresses just as well. Pick 3G2 only when a legacy phone or messaging gateway specifically requires it.

APNG Format at a Glance

3G2 Format at a Glance

How to Convert APNG to 3G2

1. Upload Your APNG File: Drag and drop your .apng files onto the page or click "Upload." You can add several at once; each is uploaded over an encrypted connection.
2. Pick a Merge Strategy and Frame Duration: Choose "Merge images" to combine multiple files into one 3G2, or "Video per image" for a separate file each. The Duration control sets how long each still frame is shown — leave it for animated APNGs, which already carry their own timing.
3. Set Background Color and Quality Preset: Because 3G2 has no alpha, transparent areas fill with the Background Color (default Black). Under File Compression, the Quality Preset defaults to "Very High"; the Video Codec defaults to H.264, the most playable option for 3G2.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert." Files are processed on our servers and deleted automatically after a few hours — no sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my converted 3G2 so much smaller than the APNG?

APNG stores every frame losslessly, so even a short clip can run into several megabytes. 3G2 uses H.264 inter-frame compression, which only records what changes between frames. In our testing, a 2-second 480p APNG of roughly 6 MB converted to a 3G2 under 300 KB at the Very High preset — a typical 20-to-1 reduction with no visible loss at small sizes.

What happens to the transparency in my APNG?

It is flattened. 3G2, like all video containers, has no alpha channel, so any transparent pixels are filled with the Background Color you choose (Black by default). If keeping transparency matters, do not convert to video at all — keep the APNG, or export to WebM with an alpha-capable codec instead.

Should I convert to 3G2 or MP4?

For almost every modern use, MP4 with H.264. 3G2 is a legacy 3GPP2 container aimed at old CDMA phones and 3G multimedia messaging; current phones, browsers, and editors all prefer MP4. Choose 3G2 only when a specific legacy device or carrier gateway demands it — otherwise use APNG to MP4.

Will the animation loop in 3G2 like it did as an APNG?

No. APNG carries loop metadata that browsers honor automatically. 3G2 is plain video and plays once unless the player you use is set to repeat. If continuous looping is the goal, an animated image format such as APNG or GIF is the right home for it, not a video container.

Which video codec does the 3G2 output use?

By default H.264/AVC, which the 3GPP2 specification permits and which has the widest player support. The format also allows H.263 and MPEG-4 Part 2 for older handsets; you can switch the Video Codec under advanced options if a particular legacy device needs one of those.

Will the 3G2 have any audio?

No. APNG is an image format with no sound, so the resulting 3G2 is a silent video that simply shows the animation. There is nothing in the source APNG to carry over, so a soundtrack would have to be added separately after converting.

Does the 3G2 play back at the same speed as my APNG?

It follows the APNG's own timing. Animated PNGs store a delay for each frame, and the converter uses that pacing when building the 3G2, so a loop that ran at a given speed as an APNG keeps that speed as video. The Duration control is only for turning still images into a clip; for an already-animated APNG you can leave it alone.

Can I merge several APNGs into one 3G2 clip?

Yes. Set the merge strategy to "Merge images" and the tool stitches multiple uploaded APNGs into a single 3G2 in the order you added them; choose "Video per image" to get one 3G2 per file instead. Merging is useful for chaining several short animations into one continuous clip.

Are my files kept private during conversion?

Yes. Files upload over a TLS-encrypted connection, are processed on our servers, and are deleted automatically after a few hours. There is no sign-up, no watermark, and files are never shared or made public.