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Overview

Aseprite supports a wide range of file formats for importing and exporting your pixel art and animations. Each format has specific capabilities and limitations depending on whether it supports features like layers, frames, transparency, and color modes.
The native .aseprite and .ase formats preserve all features including layers, frames, palettes, and metadata.

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Supported Formats

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Native Formats

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Raster Image Formats

PNG

Portable Network Graphics
  • RGBA, Grayscale, Indexed
  • Transparency support
  • Color profiles
  • Single frame only
  • Palette with alpha channel

GIF

Graphics Interchange Format
  • Indexed color (256 colors max)
  • Frame animation
  • Transparency (single color)
  • Loop support
  • Interlacing option

JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group
  • RGB only
  • No transparency
  • Lossy compression
  • Single frame
  • Adjustable quality

BMP

Windows Bitmap
  • RGB, RGBA, Grayscale, Indexed
  • No compression
  • Single frame
  • Large file sizes

TGA

Truevision Graphics Adapter
  • RGBA, RGB, Grayscale
  • Transparency support
  • Single frame
  • RLE compression option

PCX

PC Paintbrush
  • RGB, Indexed
  • Single frame
  • Legacy format
  • RLE compression

ICO

Windows Icon
  • RGBA, Indexed
  • Multiple sizes in one file
  • Transparency
  • Windows icons

QOI

Quite OK Image
  • RGBA, RGB
  • Lossless compression
  • Fast encoding/decoding
  • Single frame

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Advanced Formats

Modern web image format
Requires: ENABLE_WEBP compilation flag
Features:
  • RGBA, RGB support
  • Lossy and lossless compression
  • Animation support
  • Superior compression ratios
  • Alpha channel
WebP provides excellent file size reduction while maintaining quality, ideal for web deployment.

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Animation & Sequence Formats

Legacy animation format from Autodesk Animator.Support:
  • Frame animation
  • Indexed color
  • 320x200 resolution (FLI)
  • Variable resolution (FLC)
  • Vintage game development
Export frames as numbered sequence of images.Format:
sprite-001.png
sprite-002.png
sprite-003.png
...
Useful for:
  • Game engines
  • Video editing software
  • Frame-by-frame editing

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Data Export Formats

SVG

Scalable Vector Graphics
  • Export only
  • Converts pixels to vector paths
  • Resolution independent
  • Web-friendly

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets
  • Export sprite data
  • CSS background positions
  • Web development
  • Sprite sheet metadata

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Format Comparison

Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose the right format:
FormatLayersFramesTransparencyColor ModesBest For
.aseprite✓✓✓AllWorking files, full features
PNG✗✗✓AllStatic images, web graphics
GIF✗✓LimitedIndexedSimple animations, web
WebP✗✓✓RGB/RGBAModern web, animations
JPEG✗✗✗RGBPhotos, no transparency
SVG✗✗✓RGBScalable graphics

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Color Mode Support

1

RGBA (32-bit)

Full color with alpha channel
  • 16.7 million colors
  • 256 levels of transparency
  • Best for: Modern artwork, web graphics
2

Grayscale (16-bit)

Shades of gray with alpha
  • 256 gray levels
  • 256 levels of transparency
  • Best for: Black & white art, shadows
3

Indexed (8-bit)

Palette-based color
  • Up to 256 colors
  • Single transparent color
  • Best for: Retro games, GIF export

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Choosing the Right Format

Recommended:
  • .aseprite for source files
  • PNG sequences for engine import
  • Sprite sheets with JSON/CSS data
Export your animations frame-by-frame or use sprite sheet export for efficient loading.
Recommended:
  • GIF for simple animations
  • WebP for better compression
  • PNG for static images
Consider file size vs. quality trade-offs for web delivery.
Recommended:
  • PNG for lossless export
  • SVG for scalability
  • Large canvas sizes
Remember that pixel art is designed for specific resolutions.
Recommended:
  • .aseprite for complete preservation
  • PNG as fallback
  • Include source files
Native format preserves all editing capabilities.

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Special Considerations

GIF Animation Limitations:
  • Maximum 256 colors per frame
  • Single transparent color index
  • Limited to 8-bit color depth
  • May require color quantization
Indexed Color Mode:When exporting indexed sprites, Aseprite can:
  • Preserve exact palette order (for opaque sprites)
  • Optimize palette for transparency handling
  • Quantize RGB sprites to indexed color
Performance Tips:
  • Use indexed color for smaller file sizes
  • PNG sequences work well with version control
  • Sprite sheets reduce draw calls in games
  • WebP offers best compression for modern platforms

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Related Topics

Sprite Sheets

Learn about exporting sprite sheets and atlases

GIF Export

Master GIF animation export options

PNG Sequences

Export frame sequences for game engines